“A lot of hard-faced men who look like they’ve done very well out of the war.” Stanley Baldwin’s take on the new MPs of 1918 still resonates, as it’s chilling to think of anyone cleaning up in a tragedy. But it happens. While Covid-19 has laid waste to lives, livelihoods and our high streets, its corollary is more time and money spent online. And from that, some have indeed “done very well.”
As we have all avoided public transport, improved our new “home offices” and shopped exclusively online, stocks in Halfords (bikes and car accessories), Kingfisher (owner of B&Q and Screwfix) and online retail giant Asos have all surged.
In the Great Depression, cigarettes and cinema tickets bucked the collapse in wider sales by promising escape. There’s been no escaping locked-down homes, but consumer markets in pets, puzzles and very private pleasures have been buoyant.
Sources: Chart 1, Forbes Rich List; Chart 2, based on comparisons of market data as published on the London Stock Exchange; Chart 3, jigsaw figures: NPR, “Toys and Games Bring Fun, Entertainment, Education, Exercise and Stress Relief to the UK in a Challenging 2020” published 14th January. Puppies: “Demand” as defined here based on increase in internet queries, compiled by Pets4Home. “Luxury sex toys” as defined here means any worth £100 or more, as bought from Ann Summers
