Taking Stock Report 2025

This report is provided by BRC Associate Member, CMS.

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Consumer brands and retailers are working to recover from years of disruption and navigate through changing decisions in 2025. Trade tensions, rising costs, and global challenges are still affecting how businesses operate. This year’s Taking Stock report examines key economic, consumer and legal trends shaping the UK consumer and retail sector.

Highlights and key findings:

• Economic outlook: covering economic stabilisation and the road to recovery
• Changing consumer behaviour: shifts in spending including the rise of recommerce, the growing influence of generative AI and the impact of new online disruptors
• Regulatory and compliance pressures: brands face growing challenges from regulations, including sustainability, data and consumer protection, along with retail crime
• Global trade tensions: new US tariffs and retaliatory measures disrupting supply chains, increasing costs, and weakening global demand