Ashley Bailey, CEO and Founder of shopping comparison platform Dig, shares why he believes consumers today are becoming increasingly financially conscious – and what this shift could mean for the future of shopping:
“What we’re seeing at Dig reflects a cultural shift that goes far beyond a TikTok trend. Consumers aren’t just saving money – they’re building a fundamentally new relationship with how they spend it. The ‘loud budgeter’ isn’t embarrassed about being frugal; they’re proud of it. And that confidence is reshaping the shopping landscape in ways that are hard to overstate.
At Dig, we see this play out every single day. More and more of our users are approaching purchases with genuine intentionality – researching, comparing, and waiting for the right moment. The question they’re asking has shifted from ‘Can I afford this?’ to ‘Am I getting the best value for this?’ That is a profound change.
For platforms like ours, it’s both a responsibility and an opportunity. When people are this deliberate about where their money goes, they deserve tools that match that intentionality – tools that make comparison genuinely simple, transparent, and fast.”
Pre-loved shopping is redefining value for money
“When budgets tighten, people get resourceful. Pre-loved is an obvious place to stretch your money further, and once shoppers try it, they rarely go back. The crisis has pulled forward years of behaviour change into a couple of shopping seasons.
For most shoppers, cost is still the first reason they try pre-loved – but sustainability is what keeps them coming back. Once you’ve bought your first really great second-hand piece, it’s very hard to go back to paying full price for something you know you could find better used.
Pre-loved used to be niche – it’s now genuinely mainstream. A mix of rising prices, better platforms like Vinted and Depop, and a real shift in attitudes has made second-hand the default for a lot of shoppers. It’s no longer about compromise; people are proud of a great pre-loved find and happy to share it.
Shoppers now buy things with the resale value in mind. A good coat isn’t just a coat – it’s something you’ll wear, then pass on for £40 next year. That changes everything about how we judge ‘value for money’ and, in a nice way, has made durability cool again.”
Gen Z & Millennials want their money to work harder
“Fintech has turned money from something you manage once a month into something you interact with every day. Whether it’s rounding up spare change, tracking spending in real time, or earning rewards as you shop, people expect their money to work harder in the background. That expectation – that your bank and your shopping should quietly earn for you – is one of the biggest shifts I’ve seen in years.
The money-saving generation isn’t a passing phase – it’s the new consumer norm. And the brands and platforms that meet them with honesty and real value will earn their trust for the long term.”
