Retail trends to look out for in 2022

Recently in the FOUR office we have been discussing Trends we’ve seen on the highstreets. We asked Paul McCarthy what he thought about them and asked what Chantry Place are doing to keep up with them.

Paul McCarthy, general manager of Chantry Place discusses that trends come and go and here at Chantry Place we always want to ensure that our visitor’s needs are met, and our retailers are experts at keeping up to date with current trends, appealing to the latest tastes, interests and needs of their customers. Here, Paul, talks about some key trends for 2022 that him and the Chanty Place team watching out for… 

Sustainability

“This has always been paramount to us and many of our shoppers. They want a clear commitment to sustainability from the businesses they choose to buy from as this is a key factor in buying products.

Here at Chantry Place, our retailers continue to take decisions for their businesses that are both the right commercial thing to do and happen to be ‘green’ too. For example, sustainable and recyclable packages; many also have a lot going on behind the scenes. H&M has their garment collection programme which is a scheme where you can give them a bag of second-hand clothes and textiles, from any brand, and they reuse, re-wear or recycle. As a thank you, H&M give you a voucher to put towards your next purchase and we think this is a great initiative.

At Chantry Place we’ve been running our ‘Coffee to Grow’ concept since 2017, turning coffee grounds that were being treated as ‘waste’ into free compost.  We collect them, package them in the same coffee packets they came in and then make them available to our visitors free of charge.  This initiative has been hugely popular with keen gardeners: it’s great for growing plants and veg, keeping lawns lush and some say it even keeps the bugs away!

Head to opposite the lifts on the upper ground floor near Monsoon to grab a free bag (they do go quickly, so the early bird catches the worm!), plus recycle your coffee bags and cups too. We try to add new bags daily.”

Here in the FOUR office, we are trying to be more sustainable to, and it’s nice to know that shopping centres like Chantry Place are doing their part too.

Customer experience

As customers ourselves we want to be immersed in the shopping experience now more than ever, therefore we asked Paul his thoughts on the Customer experience.

“The past two years have been difficult for the high street. However, it is beginning to pick up again, making the customer experience more important than ever before. Excellent customer service and that ability for customers to see it, feel it, try it on and take it home is just one of the things that differentiate us.

At Chantry Place, we aim to create unique and memorable experiences in-store; focusing on customer interests, really meeting their needs and wants, and hosting events to showcase products all help. Our Hamleys store, that is located on the lower ground floor opposite H&M, is regularly hosting events, especially during the school holidays – bringing joy to their customers!

We all love something new and at Chantry Place we have regular pop-ups visiting us. Successful customer experience also means keeping our visitors up to date with new offers, menus, events, and competitions. We regularly update our news section and social media to ensure you are all aware of what’s happening in the Centre.” 

Fashion, home, and food trends

Paul also shared with us some of the trends we should continue to look out for in 2022 and beyond. The office favourite is definitely the food trends that Paul told us about, especially Nostalgia deserts!

Paul Trends for this year include…

• ‘Nostalgia in womenswear and this season we are going back to the 90s. Low rise jeans and graphic tees are all predicted to make a strong comeback
• Menswear will be preppy with a smart casual, golf, and tennis-inspired look – think polos, sweaters, and varsity jackets
• Kids fashion will be big on streetwear with matching sets, bucket hats and fluro hues
• Beauty will be all about colour pops and expressing yourself.  Experimenting with new looks and products and sharing across social media will be bigger than ever this Spring / Summer season
• Homeware will be focused on minimal and sustainable. People want to buy items that are built to last and reduce clutter which is why quality and minimal is another trend we will see continue for another year.  Back to basic, simple designs incorporating more natural materials will be favoured and so will colourful design – if you’re having less and they last longer you’ll want them to look the part too
• In food, Japanese flavours, spicy food, and nostalgic desserts are all tipped to be huge. At Chantry Place, we have a range of these flavours, with YO! Chi, Wagamama, Chopstix and more.  For the sweeter treats try Ed’s Easy Diner or one of our many delicious cafés, such as Bakers + Barista
• Being together – never a trend, more a way of life, but now more than ever as we want to get back to the simple things we always loved.  Sharing time and space with others, perhaps over a lovely meal you’ve not had to cook or clear up from, or just sitting back and enjoying coffee and cake, this year is all about being together again with our friends and family’

Being part of a community

The many lockdowns meant that our social lives were all online, using video chats to keep in touch with people and social media to update people on our lives, the feeling is mutual around the office – we have definitely missed feeling part of a community. 

Paul mentioned this as well and spoke about how he plans to make Chantry Place feel like a community.

“Through our social media channels, we talk to our visitors and share all the latest news, offers and competitions to our fabulous Chantry Place community.

Last year, we worked with Norwich Science Festival, Norwich Pride, the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital, the Break and Alive Foodbank charities and many more to support them with their events. This remains a key objective for us again this year.

We will continue to play our part to showcase the whole of Norwich as the fantastic destination it is.  We know that when people visit our fine city then they’re bound to have a great time and ultimately come back and tell others about us.  Working together and supporting each other for the greater good will be another big trend for 2022 and it’s a continuation of many years of collaboration through bodies such as the Norwich Business Improvement District which has done so much for our city. This spirit of collaboration across retailers, restaurants, other commercial organisations, leisure operators, and the cultural and public sectors, is fantastic and we hope it continues throughout this year and beyond.”