By Rachel Macey, Managing Director, Kantar Media TGI UK & Europe
The pandemic was a watershed moment and for a while it seemed as if our day-to-day lives would never be the same again.
There were ominous predictions about the ‘new normal’ which, five years later, have probably not come true. In many ways we have slipped back into familiar behaviours.
But when you dig into both the data and anecdotal evidence, you quickly find small, unmistakeable ways in which our behaviours and attitudes have been irrevocably influenced, often in complex and contradictory ways.
We wanted to understand more about what’s really changed, so we analysed TGI data from before, during and after the pandemic. Focusing on media consumption, spending habits and consumer habits, here’s a snapshot of what we found.
Social media gains political traction
We’ve all seen it first hand – social media is influencing political opinions more than ever.
This has become particularly true for young people.
In 2021, 26% of Brits aged 15-34 agreed that social media posts influence their political views.
However, by the start of this year this had jumped up to 38% and is expected to grow further as sentiment shifts away from traditional media.
Online TV streaming takes over
It’s not surprising that being forced to stay at home led many of us to watch more television. But the surge in popularity of online TV streaming has stuck and permanently changed how we consume media.
In 2019, 26% of British adults agreed that online TV streaming means they now watch more television than before. But by January 2025 this had jumped up to 35%.
In addition, 53% of British adults agree today that TV streaming has changed the way they consume television – jumping up from 39% in 2019.
Use of multiple subscription video on demand (SVOD) services has also increased dramatically. In 2019, 9% of adults claimed to have accessed both Netflix and Amazon Prime within the last month. Today that figure is 27% and steadily increasing. Indeed, the proportion of people accessing Netflix, Prime and Disney+ in the last month is now also significantly higher compared to 2019, standing at 14% today.
Contactless took the crown – but cash lives on
Preference to pay by contactless increased from 73% in 2019 to 93% in 2023 as people tried to avoid using cash.
In the same period, preference specifically for contactless smart device payment also increased from 16% to 31% as the technology became commonplace.
Cash, by comparison, may no longer be king but its popularity has bounced back in the years since the pandemic.
Preference to pay by cash fell sharply (from 36% in 2019 to 28% in 2023) but has since returned to pre-pandemic popularity (35% in January 2025).
Although we might expect older generations (aged 65+) to have stuck with cash, in fact their preference to pay by cash has reduced from 47% in 2019 down to 35% in 2025. By comparison, younger people (aged 15-34) preferring to use cash has increased from 29% in 2019 up to 38% in 2025. Perhaps older people have realised that contactless is more convenient, while younger people are using cash as a better way to track spending.
Going out needs to feel special
The number of people agreeing that they like to go to trendy places to eat and drink has risen steadily in recent years – from 22% in 2019 to 28% this year.
By comparison, the popularity of a night out at the pub has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, and the popularity of spending a lot of free time at home is higher now than before the pandemic.
We might be going out less, but when we do we want it to feel worthwhile.
Consumers take control of health
People of all ages have become more proactive on their health, possibly in part as a reaction to health awareness engendered by the pandemic. The popularity of health check-ups ‘even when feeling fine’ has grown markedly since the pandemic, with 21% of adults agreeing with this in 2021, up to 27% today.
Meanwhile, trust in alternative medicines grew throughout the pandemic period and is showing no signs of slowing down: 17% of all adults reported trusting alternative medicines in 2019, but this has jumped ahead to 25% in 2025.
What does this mean for media owners and marketers?
Our complex and often contradictory lives have never followed a pattern, especially when confronted by such a significant period of change.
Pre-existing trends – like the growth in online TV streaming, contactless payments, and Insta-ready night outs – were accelerated and haven’t looked back. Emerging trends have pushed to the forefront, like the growing popularity of alternative medicines, or the influence of social media on our political views.
By comparison, other areas of our lives have in certain ways settled back to pre-pandemic levels, like the popularity of cash, or the enduring difficulties of balancing work, family, and social life.For media owners and marketers, these changes highlight the need for detailed, insight-led research. When you have a better understanding of what’s really happening in consumer behaviour and sentiment, you’re better placed to identify, track and target your audience – no matter what’s around the corner.
