At TWC Group, our role has always been to cut through noise and get to what really matters for wholesalers and their customers. So on 12th January 2026, we went back to the fundamentals, speaking to UK consumers directly to understand how they plan to eat, drink and shop in the year ahead.
The result is a nationally representative survey of over 400 UK adults, covering the full breadth of consumer behaviour. And while cost-of-living pressures remain a very real backdrop, the data paints a picture of resilience, adaptability and, crucially, opportunity for both foodservice and retail operators.
17.4% of the UK adult population say their personal / household’s financial situation is ‘dire’ or they’re ‘ struggling’ with a further 33% of consumers claiming to ‘just be about ok’. This is the 5th time we’ve conducted this research and the 17.4% responding ‘dire’ or ‘struggling’ this month is higher than in any of the previous four waves of research. We need to wait to find out whether this is because the research was conducted in January. Either way, a lot of the UK population is struggling.
Eating Out Remains a Core Habit
Despite ongoing economic uncertainty, eating out is far from being an occasional treat. The research shows that 78% of the UK adult population expect to dine out at least once a quarter in 2026, with 12% – over six million adults – dining out weekly.
Analysis by Jayne Webb, Insights Director at TWC Group, highlights that if one third of the UK population dines out at a restaurant one more time per quarter, this will lead to £1bn in additional sales value.
That level of frequency tells us something important: restaurants, cafés and pubs are still central to how people socialise. The challenge for operators and suppliers isn’t whether people will go out, but how to ensure they continue to see value, relevance and excitement when they do.
Encouragingly, 61% of adults still believe it is possible to go out and socialise without it costing too much money. Consumers are clearly becoming more selective, but they haven’t lost the appetite for shared experiences. Value doesn’t necessarily mean “cheap” – it means feeling their spend was justified.
Read more headlines from our first wave of Channel Track results on hospitality performance here.
