booming

By Suranga Herath, CEO of English Tea Shop

Recently it seems that Britain’s gifting industry is booming! We are now gifting more things, more often, and brands have taken this trend to new heights, offering a range of innovative products designed exclusively to cater to the gifting crazed nation.

At English Tea Shop, we have witnessed first-hand this increase in demand for product tailored to gifting as our sales in the area have more than doubled in the last year alone.
We have put together a list of key trends that are transforming the face of gifting:

• Aesthetics on Social Media: More visually led platforms such as Instagram, have profound influence on consumer’s decision making. Products which are aesthetically pleasing perform well as consumers are increasingly buying products that are ‘Instagram-able’. As a result, we’ve seen a major shift in the design and features of products to keep the Instagram appeal.
• The Emerging Ethical Consumer: The sustainability agenda has placed more emphasis on the use of plastic and excess waste in packaging. As a result, we’ve seen brands face increasing pressure to create gifting packages and designs that reduce waste. This has led to craftier, more ethically sourced gifting products and bundles. The days of excessive cling film are over.
• Tailored to the Season: As people are now gifting whatever the weather, brands have tapped into seasonal trends to deliver tailored product to consumers. The cold winter weather provides perfect opportunity for brands, particularly in the hot beverage industry, to introduce products specifically for the season. This is something we have tapped into at English Tea Shop, offering speciality teas that complement each season, such as our Winter Warmer blend.

What’s Next

A look into the crystal ball reveals that brands will have to continue to innovate, finding new ways to keep up with emerging trends in an environmentally conscious way. At English Tea Shop, we have redesigned our selection boxes and rebranded all packaging in a bid to greatly reduce plastic and waste. Our gifting collection’s new packaging is now free from plastics and overwrapping.

The gifting industry is booming, and it’s not showing signs of stopping. In order to stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly crowded market it is important to continue to innovate and offer products that are affordable and environmentally conscious, with an eye-catching design that sets you apart from the rest.