// M&S reveals Brits want to make the most of this summer despite rising inflation
// The Family Matters index score is 53 out of 100, remaining consistent from 53 in November 2021
Marks & Spencer has found that Brits are expected to make the most of this summer despite the cost-of-living crisis.
The retailer’s latest Family Matters Index has revealed that 53% of families aim to eat more healthily, while 47% want to exercise more regularly.
Millennials (25-34 year olds) are the most motivated to get in shape, while older generations (over 65s) the least.
When it comes to exercise, walking and hiking is easily the preferred activity (48% either have or are planning to take it up), followed by home workouts (38%).
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Meanwhile, 61% of Brits are planning to go on a holiday, with 34% set to staycation in the UK.
Cost of living is cited as a top concern by 82% of UK families, up 10% since the end of last year. This has had a knock-on impact on overall optimism about family prospects, which stands at 42%, up slightly (2%) from November however down 9% from March last year.
The future impact of climate change (64%) and divisions across the country (59%) also remain key concerns.
This quarter, the overall Family Matters index score is 53, remaining consistent from 53 in November 2021.
The Index score is based on a scale of 0-100, with 100 being highest, with a mid-point score of 50 or above representing a positive, optimistic perspective.
“It’s encouraging to see people more motivated than ever to exercise,” M&S Head of Clothing and Home Customer Insight, Tamsin Robertson said.
“When we first launched our Family Matters Index back in 2021 during lockdown, mental health consistently came up as a priority.
“Maintaining your physical health can deliver so many mental health benefits also and it would be great to see this enthusiasm for exercise sustain all year round. It’s a trend we’ve seen already at M&S – in the past year our great value activewear range Goodmove has grown by 26% as people get moving.”
Uncertainty about the future may also be starting to impact shopping habits. Across the board, value is a key deciding factor when choosing where to shop – 78% of people ranked this as a top three priority, ahead of convenience (55%) and customer service (47%).
M&S Head of Food Customer Insight, Maria Pickett said: “Our latest index suggests cost of living concerns will continue to rise over the coming months, with value set to become even more important to families.
“At M&S Food, we’re focused on delivering our trusted value promise, which matters more than ever to our customers. Trusted value means offering great value food without compromising on quality and freshness, sourcing standards or at the expense of our suppliers.”
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