Buying the latest trainers or undertaking a major wardrobe refresh remains a favourite pastime for UK consumers. But just how much are Britons spending on fashion?
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Collectively, UK consumers spend over £162 billion on clothing each year and, individually, the average spend is £250 a month on clothes, totalling £3,000 annually, according to a new survey of 2,000 UK adults by credit specialist Aqua.
The study also reveals 25-34-year-olds are the biggest spenders on fashion (£524 a month), followed by 35-44-year-olds (£322 a month).
Unsurprisingly, women spend £459 a month on clothes compared to £150 for men. Meanwhile, Londoners spend the most on fashion compared to other UK cities, averaging £555 a month.
Also, 35% of Britons have bought fashion items in the past 12 months.
Other lifestyle spending
The report also reveals that 80% of Britons agree their lifestyle spending reflects their personal values or identity and “the powerful role of social media in driving financial decisions, and how many of these purchases ultimately lead to regret”.
While eating out tops the list of lifestyle spending categories (56%), beauty (39%) is also ranked highly, “reflecting a growing appetite for convenience and self-care”, while physical self-care services (38%), such as hairdressers and manicures, “further suggest the importance placed on personal presentation and wellness”.
Fashion and beauty combined see a monthly average spend of £399, surpassing food and drink (£251) and technology (£246), “indicating that personal style and aesthetics are still high on the priority list, even amid rising costs”.
Sharvan Selvam, commercial director at Aqua, said: “The data paints a clear picture of where the real financial pressures lie in 2025. While categories like travel and entertainment remain popular, it’s lifestyle-led spending on fashion, tech, and personal development that’s quietly eating up the biggest share of monthly budgets. For households trying to manage their budgets, understanding where the largest chunks of money are really going is the first step to taking back control of their spending.”
Meanwhile, over 70% of adults admit that social media has influenced their lifestyle spending, demonstrating the impact digital platforms have in driving purchasing decisions.
Facebook (49%) emerges as the single most influential platform, followed closely by Instagram (47%) and TikTok (42%), revealing that a clear dominance of visually led, trend-driven content is what fuels spending habits.
However, YouTube (37%) continues to hold a strong position in product discovery and research, while platforms like X (14%), Pinterest (12%), and Snapchat (9%) seemingly influences more niche audiences.
Facebook drives spending for over 35’s, but unsurprisingly, TikTok dominates Gen Z, with 78% of 16-24-year-olds saying they’ve been influenced to shop by what they see on the platform. Among those aged 25 to 34, Instagram takes the lead, swaying 61% of this age group.
But this influence comes at a cost. Some 61% of adult Britons, an estimated 34 million people, admit they’ve regretted purchases made as a result of social media, trends, or peer pressure. This figure highlights the emotional and financial fallout of lifestyle spending, where the desire to keep up with online trends often outweighs practical considerations such as value or long-term usage.
