Love, frugality and home-grown flowers are in the air

Love conquers all. But it also makes allowances for changing consumer behaviour. The covid-19 pandemic, the cost-of-living squeeze and even Brexit have changed the way that Britons approach Valentine’s Day, the annual celebration of romance/opportunity to have a blazing row with your partner.Loved-up Britons are more likely to stay in on February 14th than they were a few years ago because of tighter budgets and hybrid lifestyles. On average consumers now spend 66 more minutes at home every day compared with the pre-lockdown era. On Valentine’s Day last year just over 8m people used London’s buses and tube network, around 22% fewer than did so on the same day in 2020. Spending at restaurants fell by 11.6% in January year on year.