New data from UK card payment provider Dojo, has revealed what Brits are spending the most on following restrictions being fully lifted in June of this year.
Dojo analysed their transaction data to find out how much was spent in each industry pre and post-lockdown, specifically comparing spend in February 2020 to June 2021. The results show which business sectors have seen the biggest uplift in spend and which activities Brits are now flaunting their cash on.
Services focused on Building and DIY saw an average of 52% more spend now, than pre-pandemic.
| Rank | Industry | Business/Service | Uplift in spend Post vs. Pre Covid (Latest 12 months vs. Previous 12 months) |
| 1 | Food | Bakeries & patisseries | 57% |
| 2 | Health | Dentists | 57% |
| 3 | Building & DIY | Builders & building materials | 52% |
| 4 | Health | Opticians | 36% |
| 5 | Transport | Car parts and accessories | 31% |
| 6 | Office | Stationery & office supplies | 30% |
| 7 | Retail | Gardening | 28% |
| 8 | Retail | Book Stores | 28% |
| 9 | Health | Private doctors & health practitioners | 27% |
| 10 | Building & DIY | Flooring | 26% |
| 11 | Health | Chiropractors | 26% |
| 12 | Food | Sweet & corner shops | 25% |
| 13 | Pets | Pet shops | 23% |
| 14 | Office | Computer maintenance & repair | 21% |
| 15 | Food | Food stores & deli | 20% |
| 16 | Building & DIY | Curtains & blinds | 20% |
| 17 | Transport | Bicycle shops & servicing | 17% |
| 18 | Pets | Vets | 17% |
| 19 | Building & DIY | Heating, Plumbing | 16% |
| 20 | Hobby | Sporting goods & fishing | 15% |
| 21 | Food | Butcher | 15% |
| 22 | Retail | Jewellers | 14% |
| 23 | Retail | Florists | 14% |
After analysing their transaction data, Dojo found that there were key areas where Brits were spending the most money now compared to before the first lockdown. Building and DIY was one of these.
Home renovation and DIY projects are among the UK’s biggest spending habits, according to transaction data
A variety of building, renovation and DIY based services and products featured in the list of the top 23 industries where Brits are now spending the most. Builders and raw building materials came out on top with a whopping 51.9% increase in spend for builders’ services and access to their materials.
It seems that a year stuck in the same four walls has given the public a new sense of appreciation for their living space, and they’re upscaling in force.
Bakeries and patisseries saw the BIGGEST uplift in customer spending post-lockdown
Local food stores including bakeries, butchers, sweet shops and delis all saw an uplift in spending of more than +10% post-COVID. However, it looks like all the frenzied banana bread baking and investment in sourdough has given Brits a taste for fresh bread out of lockdown.
Bakeries and patisseries in particular benefitted with a 56.9% increase in customer spend after lockdown was completely lifted, when compared to before the first lockdown was implemented.
Prioritising health is among one of the biggest spending increases for Brits, after a year of sedentary life
A year of limited movement and the closure of services not deemed essential, coupled with working from makeshift office spaces has seen Brits desperate to get their health (and backs) sorted.
Dentists saw the most increase in demand with a 56.6% uplift in spend, unsurprising when the nation’s teeth haven’t been checked over in a good year. Next was opticians with an increase in demand of 36.5% and after a long year of staring mercilessly at work laptop screens and Netflix it makes sense that the public want their peepers prepped for life again.
Private doctors and health practitioners and chiropractors also all featured in the top 20 services in most demand with an uplift of 26.9% and 25.8% respectively.
