Mastercard says Britons are heading into summer with a stronger appetite for in-person leisure, as digital fatigue pushes spending and planning decisions towards more human-led experiences. Its latest Experience Economy Report, produced with Trend Hunter, found that travel, food, and live events are now the country’s leading priorities for leisure spending.
The research, based on responses from more than 27,000 consumers across Europe, found that 60% of UK respondents prefer human recommendations over algorithm-led suggestions when planning experiences, while 65% said they are prioritising in-person activities this year to balance time spent online. Another 62% said they plan to attend digital detox or “analogue escapism” events where smartphones and connected technology are discouraged or prohibited.
The same share, 62%, said they are taking part in “communal coping” experiences, from repair cafés to group creative events. Mastercard said the findings reflect a wider move towards community, intimacy, and authenticity in leisure choices, as consumers spend more selectively and place greater value on shared time offline.
That preference is showing up in household budgets. The company said 88% of Britons are willing to cut back on purchases such as technology, gadgets, and streaming subscriptions if it allows them to spend more on experiences. Some 32% said they would reduce spending on technology and gadgets, and 26% said they would cut streaming services to free up money for leisure activities. Overall, 71% said experiences are now more important than ever.
Natalia Lechmanova, Chief Economist, Europe, at the Mastercard Economics Institute, said: “We’re witnessing a significant shift across Europe as consumers reshape their priorities and the balance of their leisure time. Our findings point to something deeper than changing habits. As the pull of the digital world intensifies, they reflect a growing appetite for quality over quantity experiences, anchored in human connection.
“Whether it’s live events, cultural pursuits or activities discovered through a personal recommendation, people are leaning into moments that bring them together and leave a lasting impression.”
Aggregated and anonymised spending data from the Mastercard Economics Institute supports the shift. In the UK, the share of consumer spending going on experiences, excluding travel, rose to 23.3% in 2025 from 22.3% in 2024, moving ahead of discretionary retail spending at 22.7%.
Travel and tourism topped the list of experiences Britons want to do more of this summer at 78%, followed by food-related experiences at 69%, and live events at 66%. Historical and heritage visits, theatre, art exhibitions, wellness activities, family outings, and outdoor experiences also ranked highly. Mastercard said 61% of respondents are willing to pay more for activities that support their local area or local businesses, while 53% said they would consciously look to book through SMEs.
