This feature forms part of a Spotlight series shining a light on marketing opportunities and challenges within the Home & Garden sector.
The Spotlight is brought to you by Boutique, we are an independent marketing agency that’s spent over a decade partnering with brilliant brands across the category helping them grow through smart, joined-up marketing across Media, PR, Digital and Social.
Our passion for the Home & Garden world led us to launch B@HOME, a dedicated platform created to bring brand marketers together, share knowledge, and spark new connections.
That closeness to the category gives us a unique view. We work with Home & Garden businesses every day, we see the data, and we hear the stories from brands navigating an environment that has been anything but stable. And while the headlines might still sound gloomy, what we’re seeing and hearing tells a different story. Quietly, confidently, the sector is beginning to stir again.
Hope Isn’t a Strategy — But Confidence Is Creeping Back
It’s no secret that the Home & Garden industry has weathered a storm after its Covid-era boom: the squeeze on disposable income, rising costs, and shifts in how and where people spend. Yet, for the first time in a while, the tide feels as though it’s turning.
At our most recent Home & Garden Conference: 76% of business leaders told us they felt positive about their business growth over the next 18 months, even though only 36% felt confident about the wider UK economy. That tells us that while macro confidence is still shaky, leaders trust their business, their product, their brand and their ability to adapt.
Our Home & Garden leaders group – Home Masters – echoed that sentiment: 69% said they expected their business to grow and that was back in April 2025. Add to that our latest survey showing 83% of leaders now forecasting growth, and the pattern is clear: the sector’s optimism is returning.
That confidence is underpinned by consumers who are, quietly, starting to move again.
The Mood in the Market Is Shifting
Despite months of cost-of-living headlines, UK savings volumes are at their highest since Covid (FCA, May 2025). Due to low consumer confidence, savings have risen and spending has reduced. Consumers have held back – but they haven’t stopped caring about their homes.
They’re not moving house, they’re improving what they already have:
- With over 40% of UK homes built before 1946 (Home Builders Federation), that’s ageing housing stock in need of new furniture, flooring, lighting and sofas.
- Couple that with rising rental periods and normalised sales volumes, and you get a picture of a population staying put and looking forward.
And that intent is visible: Google search trends show a renewed rise in home refresh and renovation curiosity, proving the passion for personal space never really disappeared.
Retailers are feeling it too. The premium and value ends of the market are seeing momentum – the middle is being squeezed. Discount buyers want value. Affluent buyers want quality.
So, the real question is: where does your brand sit? Are you clearly premium, clearly value or stuck in the middle where margins and message get lost?
Where Growth Will Come from Next
From all the conversations we’ve had across the Home & Garden community, the brands seeing real progress right now share a couple of key traits.
They’re investing in brand, not just in performance
We’re seeing more furniture and interiors brands return to brand-led activity to rebuild brand awareness and trust. They’ve recognised that short-term digital tactics alone can’t create lasting growth; consistent storytelling and investing in brand does.
They’re showing up across every touchpoint, including real life
Growth is coming from brands that balance digital efficiency with human experience. For example, from engaging with creators who are often the only real ‘human touch’ in a very digitally driven world to brands who are balancing bricks and clicks, a balance is key. It’s that human connection that builds loyalty and long-term advocacy.
These are the brands turning confidence into measurable growth because they’re blending strategy, creativity and inspiration in equal measure.
Looking Ahead
As we look ahead, there’s a sense of quiet momentum building across the Home & Garden space a steady confidence that feels grounded and real. That said, we don’t know what is next from an economic perspective but we know the enduring love the British consumer has for their homes, alongside the quiet confidence business leaders have in their sector, makes us optimistic about the year ahead.
If you would like to dive into any of the data or commentary we have shared, or would like to be in the room with other leaders at one of our Home Masters sessions drop us a note home@weareboutique.co.uk
Introducing Our Home & Garden Pulse Check
Alongside this feature, we’re inviting you to take part in our Home & Garden Marketing Survey, an initiative designed to track how the sector is feeling, what’s changing, and what new opportunities are being embraced.
We will share the results of the pulse check with all participants, allowing you to see how the sector is feeling and acting.
We’d love your input. 👉 Take part in our latest survey here: https://form.typeform.com/to/OwHrRv9U
As a thank you, you will have the chance to win one of two sets of tickets to our 2026 Home & Garden Conference, for surveys completed by 1st Dec 2025.
