How we shopped in 2021

If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that our homes are king. John Lewis's annual report into what the nation consumed over the past 12 months offers a fascinating insight into how the pandemic continued to shape our changing desires and needs. As the first quarter of 2021 was spent in yet another lockdown, the data reveals that we hunkered down on versatile sofas, wrapped up in spa-esque dressing gowns and watched TV on newly upgraded screens. Come spring, as travel remained uncertain, it was our back gardens that became havens – with trampolines and pizza ovens providing the entertainment. 

But while some things go up, others must come down, so it’s perhaps little surprise that travel accessories and children’s party clothes fell out of favour. And with commuting still off the cards, there was also extremely low demand for briefcases, 2-in-1 laptops and men’s ties as working from home continued as the norm. 

So how did we shop over the past 12 months? Keep reading to find out…

With socialising banned, there wasn’t much else to do but watch TV. Sales of 75”-plus screens were up by 40%, and TV sets costing £10,000 sold out as we binged on Friends: The Reunion, The Serpent and Netflix’s Bridgerton (incidentally, the latter – a racy saga set in Regency London – helped to inspire a four-poster bed frenzy, with the St Ives style quickly selling out). The instructions to ‘stay at home’ made many of us question what we were spending all our time sitting on and how well it performed, as our living spaces doubled-up as offices and home-schooling hubs. Versatile and easy to move, the corner sofa had its moment in the sun: sales shot up by 95%.

Tactile luxuries helped to elevate the monotony of the everyday; we brought boutique hotel comforts home with luxury towelling robes (sales up 38%) and silk pillowcases (up 50%) for that extra-special touch. Sales of women’s nightwear rose by 80% as we stayed in confinement.

With restaurants closed and nowhere to go, we suddenly had the opportunity to be a bit more adventurous with our cooking. General cookware sales rose 23%, and there was never a better opportunity to master homemade pasta: sales of specialist machines and accessories were up 42%. But the top gadget to acquire was the air-fryer – a safe and odour-free way to roast, bake, crisp and rehydrate snacks and family meals. Perfect for risottos and curries too, sales rose 400%.

All that hard work needed an Instagram-worthy tabletop to match, so it was in with the tablecloths (up 79%), napkins (rising 97%) and traditional napkin rings (up 22%). Our devotion to tablescaping extended to setting the mood with atmospheric lighting –sales of candle holders were up 13% and candlesticks rose 34%.

As rules around socialising were eventually eased to allow outdoor meet-ups, those with gardens went the extra mile to make them rival the most welcoming of pub beer gardens. Pizza oven sales were up 195%, with the best-selling model out-selling the best-selling barbeque for the first time ever. Lots of huddling was done around fire pits and garden heaters towards the end of 2020, with sales rising by almost 1,000%.

The finishing touches were just as crucial: modular outdoor sofas rose strongly and sales of outdoor rugs rose by 50%. For children stuck being home-schooled via screens all day, trampolines were a balm for their square eyes – sales jumped by 270%.

Camping and wild swimming were the surprise 2021 hits of the pandemic. Back garden holidays and staycations fuelled a demand for tents, which rose by a staggering 650%. Those craving the luxury of a warm sea paddle made do with a hot tub: sales peaked in April (up 200%). All-in-one swimsuits outstripped the two-piece bikini 10-fold as we took to swimming in lakes, lidos and indoor pools once restrictions were eased. But for men, it was sales of Speedo swim briefs which doubled over the year.

All that shuffling around with damp feet required appropriate footwear: a pair of comfy, rubbery Crocs did the job perfectly (especially when it came to navigating a shingle-laden British beach).

The antidote to all that snacking (a survey by Public Health England showed that 40% of adults said that they had gained weight during the pandemic) was getting moving. Gyms were a casualty of lockdown, so it was in with the weights – all of which quickly sold out. Fitness machines as a category rose by 79% in the first half of 2021, with newcomer Peloton’s home treadmill system now accounting for 15% of total sport sales.

To go from dining table-desk to a Zoom yoga class called for more athleisure wear, cementing the phenomenon of stretchy all-day attire. Sales rocketed, with Sweaty Betty accounting for 88% of all sales and leggings the most popular item of all.

While the world felt like it was spinning out of control, there was a lot of pleasure to be found in feelgood routines and rituals. For some it was winding down with a daily bath - perhaps with a book, candle and glass of something chilled (sales of bath racks rose 65%). Wellbeing brand Neom’s sale rose by a quarter as people turned to its sleep mists, essential oils and aromatic diffusers to clamly scent their surroundings. Those struggling to get 40 winks benefitted from cosy weighted blankets (proven to help poor sleepers get a good night’s rest), with sales rising by 74%.