Published on
April 22, 2024

Do retailers and supermarkets do enough to cater to all cultures?

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Our bees have spoken, and Christmas is far from the only ho-ho-holiday celebrated in the UK. Our conversational survey spoke to 233 individuals in the UK who shop at retailers and celebrate non-Christian/non-Catholic holidays. 75% of these individuals celebrate these holidays regularly, while the remaining 25% celebrate them sometimes. Eid was identified as the most widely celebrated at 38%, followed by Diwali at 19%. Chinese New Year and Hanukkah were mentioned less frequently at 5% and 2% respectively.

What celebratory items do people ‘check out’ pre-holiday?

Our participants spilled the beans on their non-Christian/non-Catholic holiday shopping habits! Sweet treats like jalebis and Belgian truffles were mentioned by 30%, while 24% indulge in savoury delights like curry, meat and samosas. Ethnic foods, decorations and clothes such as Salwar Kameez and gowns were mentioned by 1 in 5. Tesco, Asda, and Sainsbury's are the go-to supermarkets. As for spending amounts, 42% keep it under £50, 32% spend between £50-100, 14% spend over £100, and 13% splurge over £200.

Enough isn't enough!​​

While 3 in 4 customers feel that they are adequately catered to by high street supermarkets and retailers, 17% don’t. This is mainly due to lack of product variety (37%) and cultural sensitivity (26%). If high street retailers don't have what they need, 1 in 2 turn to online shopping, primarily Amazon (42%), 17% turn to local stores, and 15% turn to specialty shops. But does this (in)adequacy affect broader brand perception? 33% say yes, 24% say somewhat, and 43% say no.

What does this mean for brands?  

1. 1 in 3 of those who celebrate non-Catholic or non-Christian holidays say that a brand's adequacy or inadequacy to cater to their needs does affect their perception of the brand overall. The biggest driver of this is product variety. Consider how you can tailor your existing product line to create a limited edition version at relevant times of the year.  

2. For retailers and supermarkets, seasonal aisles shouldn't be limited to Christmas and Easter. Consider visible stands or signposts for relevant products during non-Christian or non-Catholic holidays to demonstrate cultural sensitivity and champion easy access.

Brand Spotlight:

1. Asda:                                

Supermarket chain, Asda, launched an Asian clothing range, thought to be the first collection of its kind available on the high street. The 13-piece collection includes sequinned embellished salwar kameez (traditional suits), khurtas (tunics), dapata (scarves) and churidar (slim leg trousers).

2. Sainsbury's:

Sainsbury’s has added over 350 products to its world foods offering as it looks to diversify its range to make it more inclusive for customers and to “reflect the demographic of the local community”. 500 stores have dedicated more space to world foods, with the total space increasing by 57% to accommodate new cupboard, canned and packaged items.

Hear it from the hive:



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