UK Community Lifestyles: 2026
54% of UK consumers say they are more likely to choose a brand that supports local causes decisions.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Outlook for community lifestyles
- Opportunities in Community Lifestyles
- Help consumers navigate life’s social transitions
- Turn local interest into participation
- Build communities around shared interests
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THE MARKET
- Cost pressures put strain on community engagement
- Graph 1: actions consumers expect to take as a result of rising prices, 2026
- Financial vulnerabilities raise the risk of loneliness
- Graph 2: experience of loneliness, by household financial situation, 2026
- Digital communications continue to change the nature of human connection
- Radical devolution will put increased focus on local areas and decision-making
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THE CONSUMER
- The meaning(s) of community
- Family is the anchor for most social circles…
- Graph 3: who makes up Brits’ close social circles, 2026
- … but most Brits feel connected to a variety of groups
- Graph 4: who makes up Brits’ close social circles, repertoire analysis, 2026
- Help address the social transition of retirement
- Catering to communities and social groups should focus on comfort and support first
- Social connections influence many aspects of consumers’ lives
- Community action and social engagement
- Community engagement is a valuable signal of brand values
- Brands can benefit most by supporting local economies and maintaining local spaces
- Graph 5: areas where consumers believe brands have a responsibility in local communities, 2026
- Business can be connectors for multigenerational care networks
- Graph 6: who consumers think should have responsibility for care responsibilities, 2026
- Promote volunteering opportunities to better connect people with their local area
- Fostering local belonging can help address rising loneliness
- Individuality and community
- Most Brits feel that society is becoming more tolerant of alternative identities
- Celebrate self-expression to empower diverse youth identities
- Highlight diversity within community groups to foster self-confidence
- Graph 7: agreement with the statement “Being part of a community helps me feel more confident expressing myself”, by diversity of close social circles, 2026
- Community transforms individuality into confidence
- Brand-led communities
- Successful brand-led communities cannot be transactional
- Graph 8: factors that would most encourage people to join a community organised by a brand, 2026
- True brand communities go beyond loyalty schemes and focus on connections
- Attaching brands to hobbies and interests is the best way to build a community
- Co-creation opportunities will appeal to younger groups
- Graph 9: selected factors that would most encourage people to join a community organised by a brand, by generation2026
- Brand-led communities can be facilitators of support for local areas
- Community in the digital world
- Online anonymity gives young consumers the confidence to explore their authentic selves…
- Graph 10: agreement with the statement “I feel more comfortable expressing my true opinions/identity in online communities than in face-to-face situations”, by generation, 2026
- … but people still crave face-to-face connection
- Build online meeting spaces with routes to offline connections
- Brands must prioritise online safety or risk reputational damage
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THE COMMUNITY MARKETING PLAYBOOK
- Local contribution and active involvement
- Ritualised participation
- Co-creation and fandom
- Social purpose and action
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APPENDIX
- Report scope
- The consumer
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research methodology
- Repertoire analysis methodology
- UK generation groups
"Community is becoming a source of competitive advantage, with consumers placing greater value on brands that help people connect, contribute and belong."
Rich Shepherd, Associate Principal - Consumer Insights
54% of UK consumers say they are more likely to choose a brand that supports local causes decisions. However, consumers can struggle to make their own impact, with only 46% feeling actively involved in their local community. This highlights opportunities for brands to help individuals support their local area and build meaningful communities.
As well as expectations for brands to support local economies and places, many consumers are interested in joining brand-organised communities. This is particularly the case among younger groups and those seeking interest-based connections. However, brands must go beyond loyalty schemes and offer true community benefits rather than simply offering product perks.
Brands can reap reputational and loyalty rewards from community building among their customers. However, they must also navigate and mitigate significant risks, particularly online. Just 43% of consumers trust brands to safely moderate online communities. Weak governance of online spaces can quickly result in reputational damage to the host brand. Companies must show serious commitment to fostering positive, safe spaces online in order to maximise the benefits of brand-led communities.
This Report Looks at the Following Areas:
- The influence of the cost of living, digital innovation and political agendas on community engagement
- The makeup of consumers’ close social circles and the influence these networks have on attitudes and behaviours
- Community engagement and perceived responsibilities for supporting people and places in local areas
- The role of brands in local communities and interest in brand-organised communities
- How communities support expressions of individuality
- Successful brand approaches to community marketing
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