Britons leaned into the artificial intelligence (AI) boom in 2025, embraced Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand Skims, and kept second-hand shopping prospering, new data shows.

Yearly spending data from digital bank Monzo sheds light on the shopping trends of its more than 14 million customers.

It highlights a concerted shift towards AI this year with spending on platforms like OpenAI more than doubling from £8 million in 2024 to £19 million in 2025.

Spending per person surged by 85% compared with the previous year.

OpenAI owns AI chatbot ChatGPT, which offers paid-for plans for people and businesses who want access to more advanced technology.

The service was launched three years ago and helped spark global interest in using generative AI technology for day-to-day tasks.

Elsewhere, Monzo’s data revealed that the second-hand shopping boom showed no signs of slowing down this year.

Its customers spent £210 million on resale platforms like Vinted and Depop over 2025, 13% more than 2024, as shoppers continued to track down deals on items like clothing and homeware.

But that did not stop people from shopping new at fast-growing brands like Skims, where spending reached over £1.8 million during the year.

The bank recorded a spike in May, double that of April, coinciding with the launch of a bra with a built-in nipple piercing design, helping drive sales for the shapewear label.

Kardashian’s kin Kylie Jenner also swept up £55,000 from Monzo customers spending on her beauty brand Kylie Cosmetics during 2025, while fellow US star Hailey Bieber’s beauty brand Rhode raked in £736,000.

When it comes to grocery spending, Tesco claimed the top spot with customers spending around £1.7 billion at the UK’s biggest supermarket.

This was nearly double the £930 million that shoppers spent at the number two supermarket, Sainsbury’s.

The data also revealed travel trends with customers spending £10 million on bike rental firm Lime between June and September.

And Londoners embraced Halloween with the day seeing one of the biggest spikes for Transport for London in 2025.

AJ Coyne, vice president for marketing at Monzo, said: “This was a year of cultural moments defining people’s spending habits.

“Whether they were shopping for viral must-have products, embracing ‘90s Britpop nostalgia or living life on two wheels, we’ve seen every trend unfold in real time in the Monzo app.”

The decade-old bank, which is the seventh largest in the UK by customer numbers, launches its “Year in Monzo” feature for customers on Monday.

Similar to the popular Spotify Wrapped campaign, it gives customers of the bank insights into their personal spending habits.

India’s next phase of economic growth will depend on steady and strong investment across public, private, and foreign channels, according to the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). CII, in a release, laid out a detailed plan for the Union Budget 2026-27, saying that the Budget needs to act as both a stabiliser and a growth driver.

CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said the coming Budget must focus on boosting investments to keep India’s growth steady. He explained that public spending has pushed the country’s recovery after the pandemic, and that continued support in this area will help India stay on track as one of the fastest-growing major economies.

CII has suggested raising central capital expenditure by 12 per cent and increasing support to states by 10 per cent in FY27. These funds, it said, should go mainly to areas where spending creates the highest impact, such as transport, energy, logistics, and the green transition. CII also recommended creating a Capital Expenditure Efficiency Framework to help select and track important projects and measure their outcomes more clearly. Along with this, it proposed launching a new Rs 150 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline for 2026-32 to give long-term clarity to investors and states.

The release also noted that India needs a more flexible fiscal policy. CII suggested shifting from strict annual deficit rules to a debt framework that adjusts with economic cycles. This, it said, would help the government respond better during shocks without losing long-term stability.

On private investment, CII highlighted that India now needs strong momentum from businesses to support growth. “The Government of India has provided a big demand push via income tax relief in last year’s Union Budget and recently via GST 2.0. Investments, especially private sector investment, will be the next big driver for economic growth that needs to be focused on in the next fiscal to continue the growth momentum,” Banerjee said.

CII recommended tax credits or easier compliance for companies that increase investments or production, along with returning accelerated depreciation to help firms, especially MSMEs, modernise.

To attract long-term global capital, CII proposed creating an NRI Investment Promotion Fund with partial government holding. This fund would help channel NRI and foreign institutional money into areas like infrastructure and AI. It also suggested strengthening the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund through a new Sovereign Investment Strategy Council to guide investments.

CII further called for simpler external borrowing rules and a single-window system for large foreign investment proposals to reduce delays and increase certainty. It also suggested forming an India Global Economic Forum to allow structured discussions between global investors and government leaders.

“An investment-driven growth strategy, anchored in fiscal credibility and institutional reforms, will define India’s next development phase,” Banerjee said.

New Delhi: For decades, the five-day work week has been the norm for most Indian employees. However, with rising conversations around work–life balance and productivity, many are now wondering if a four-day work week could become a reality in India. Several countries such as Japan, Germany and Spain have already experimented with shorter work schedules and reported encouraging outcomes. Interestingly, recent changes and discussions around India’s labour laws indicate that a four-day work week may be possible for certain sections of the workforce.

What the Labour Ministry Has Said on 4-Day Work Week

The Ministry of Labour and Employment recently clarified on X (formerly Twitter) that a four-day work week is possible under the new Labour Codes. According to the Ministry, employees can work for 12 hours a day for four days, while the remaining three days will be paid holidays. However, the total weekly working hours will still be capped at 48 hours, and any work beyond 12 hours in a day will have to be paid at double the normal wage rate.

Flexible Work Schedule Allowed Under New Labour Codes

The Labour Ministry has said that the revised Labour Codes allow employees to work 12 hours a day for four days, while the remaining three days can be taken as paid holidays, making a four-day work week possible under the new rules.

Weekly Work Hours Cap Remains Unchanged

The Labour Ministry clarified that the total working hours in a week will still be capped at 48 hours, even under a four-day work schedule. It also noted that the 12-hour workday includes breaks and spread-out time, ensuring employees are not working continuously for the entire duration.

What’s New Under India’s Updated Labour Laws

On November 21, 2025, the government consolidated 29 existing labour laws into four new labour codes—the Code on Wages (2019), Industrial Relations Code (2020), Social Security Code (2020), and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (2020). The move aims to simplify labour regulations while ensuring timely payment of wages, regulated working hours, better workplace safety and wider access to health and social security benefits.

A major change under the new codes is for fixed-term employees. They are now entitled to the same benefits as permanent workers, including leave, health coverage and social security. Notably, fixed-term workers can claim gratuity after just one year of continuous service, instead of the earlier five-year requirement, and must be paid wages equal to permanent employees doing similar work.