Report predicts 2014 will see us eating healthier, doing more exercise and taking more holidays
It’s good news all round this week as Mintel’s British Lifestyles Survey predicts a brighter year ahead.
The report, published on Wednesday, claims the economic recovery is leading to a pent-up demand for Brits looking to head abroad. According to Mintel, holidaymakers will ‘upgrade their holidays, spend more on each trip and take additional trips each year’. The market research company are also expecting growth in the value of the overseas holiday market to double that seen in the domestic market over the next five years, ‘as holidaymakers return overseas.’
The report also revealed that the top five British aspirations for 2014 were heavily focused on achieving a healthier lifestyle, with 37 per cent of people saying they would like to improve their diet and 37 per cent saying they planned to exercise more. Family life also featured heavily, with 32 per cent saying they would like to achieve a better work-life balance and 43 per cent saying they were planning to prioritise spending more time with their loved ones over the course of 2014.
While the recession left us focusing heavily on the economy as business owners and workers struggled to stay afloat, it seems the improved financial situation is leading us to re-evaluate our priorities and go back to focusing on what’s really important.
Ina Mitskavets, senior lifestyle analyst at Mintel, said: ‘Post recession paints a new outlook on life with a new set of priorities as British consumers take care of themselves and their families. During the recession, many Brits lost touch with a variety of aspects of their life while they focussed on the economy, this year British consumers are re-prioritising their spend.’
As far as we’re concerned, good friends, great food and lots of outdoor activity sounds like the perfect way to spend 2014. And with things looking up, maybe it’s time we treated ourselves to that pair of Jimmy Choos we’ve been flirting with for weeks…