Drop in support for brands promoting LGBTQ+ equality
As Pride Month begins, research from Ipsos suggests support for brands promoting LGBTQ+ equality among the UK public has dropped by seven percentage points in a year, from 47% in 2024 to 40%.
This forms part of a wider trend, which has seen support for brands actively promoting LGBTQ+ equality drop 12 percentage points since 2021. Consumers are still more likely to say they support companies promoting LGBT+ equality (40%) than oppose (25%).
Furthermore, consumers still want brands to share their values, with almost three in four (73%) stating they are more likely to buy brands that align with their personal values, which is up from 53% in 2014.
The drop in support for brands promoting LGBTQ+ equality in recent years is particularly pronounced among Gen X consumers (born between 1966 and 1979), with just over a third (36%) saying they support brands being pro-LGBTQ+ equality in 2025, falling from half (49%) in 2024.
Just over half (52%) of Gen Z say they support brands advocating for LGBTQ+ equality, the highest of any generation.
“Clearly, the political context has changed, and with it, public opinion,” says Ipsos head of creative excellence, Eleanor Thornton-Firkin.
“Many companies found it easy to show their allyship in previous years. But if brands want to be seen as true allies to the LGBTQ+ community, now is the time. Those in particular with younger and more progressive consumer bases will remember you for it.”
Source: Ipsos
Optimism rises among business leaders
Business leaders are the most optimistic about the UK economy since August last year, according to research from the Institute of Directors (IOD).
The Directors’ Economic Confidence Index measures business leaders’ optimism for the UK economy. The headline statistic has jumped to -35 in May, up from -51 in April. This is the highest the index has been since August 2024 (-12).
In terms of some of the underlying measures, investment intentions rose to 0 in May, up from -5 in April. Revenue expectations also grew to 18, up from 14 the previous month. Despite these positive figures, headcount expectations among business leaders actually fell in May, from 3 in April, to -1 last month.
Business leaders’ confidence in their own organisations rose slightly to 15, up from 13 in April.
When polled on the factors negatively impacting confidence, business leaders were most likely (67%) to cite UK economic conditions, down from 73% in February when leaders were last polled. Indeed the top three reasons – employment taxes (59%, down from 64%) at number two and business taxes (45%, down from 50%) at number three – all remained consistent versus the previous period.
Global economic conditions claimed fourth place in the list of factors negatively impacting confidence, with 41% of business leaders citing this as a risk in May, versus 29% in February.
Source: Institute of Directors
Discount supermarkets see success in May
The discount supermarkets (Aldi and Lidl) once again grew ahead of the traditional full-range grocers in May, as shoppers continue seeking out bargains.
According to data from Kantar, Lidl is close to pulling neck-and-neck on market share with Morrisons, which is now the fifth biggest supermarket in the UK. Lidl took a share of 8.1% of the grocery market in the 12 weeks to 18 May. This means Morrisons is just 0.3 percentage points ahead of the discounter, with an 8.4% market share.
Lidl recorded double-digit sales growth of 10.9% in the period, while Morrisons grew only modestly at 1.1%. Until relatively recently Morrisons was part of the UK’s ‘Big Four’ – which also includes Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda – meaning the four biggest supermarkets in the UK. However, back in September 2023 Morrisons was displaced from the fourth place spot by Aldi.
As of the 12 weeks to 18 May, Aldi now holds an 11.1% share of the grocery market, growing 6.7% in the period. In terms of market share, Lidl is now just one percentage point behind Asda, which saw a 3.2% decline in sales in the period.
The popularity of the discounters may be partly driven by grocery price inflation, its highest since February 2024 at 4.1%.
Source: Kantar
Global alcohol market forecast to grow by $16bn in next five years
2024 was a challenging year for big spirits and beer brands, reflected in a 1% decline in global beverage alcohol volume.
However, value did increase 1% in the year and the longer-term forecast for the market looks much brighter. The global alcohol market is expected to grow by $16bn (£11.8bn) over the next five years, according to industry data provider IWSR.
IWSR also made a 10-year forecast, predicting $34bn (£25.1bn) in value growth over the next decade across key markets.
Returning to how the market fared last year, there were notable bright spots, despite a mixed picture for the beverage market overall. For example, non-alcoholic beverages saw strong growth in the year. No-alcohol beer volume was up 9% in 2024 and IWSR forecasts it will surpass ale to become the second largest overall beer category by volume worldwide in 2025.
In the UK specifically, stouts saw strong growth in 2024, with volume increasing 15% in the year. This was no doubt led by Guinness, a stout brand which enjoyed so much demand it saw shortages at the end of the year. However, fellow stout brands like Murphy’s (produced by Heineken) also enjoyed strong success off the back of rising demand.
Source: IWSR
Attitudes to AI on social media vary from platform to platform
There is no one-size-fits-all approach for brands using generative AI on social media, research from GWI suggests.
Almost a quarter (24%) of TikTok users say they would like content more if it was AI-generated. However, over a third (36%) of X (formerly known as Twitter) users say they would like content less if it was AI generated. That figure is even bigger among BeReal (50%) and Reddit (41%) users.
Overall, over two in five (44%) social media users say they don’t mind AI-generated content, suggesting some opportunity for brands to use it, even if they must proceed with caution.
Over half (54%) of consumers say TikTok is the most influential platform for shaping cultural trends. Instagram follows closely behind with 53.5% saying the platform plays a key role, while half (50%) say YouTube has a lasting cultural influence.
Source: GWI
