As Gen Z prepare to head back to university, there’s a huge opportunity for brands to seize.
Students will be stocking up on everything they need to hit the ground running in the new
semester and the majority of young people are yet to form brand loyalty. So, how do you
ensure they’ve got your brand in mind?

Introducing the UNiDAYS Q4 Student Insight Report, containing your complete to-do list for
success with Gen Z in the coming months and beyond. Download the report to learn:

• Why the back-to-campus rush is something you can’t afford to miss
• What students are prioritising on their shopping lists
• Where Gen Z are discovering new products and services
• How you can make your brand their top destination

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Let’s take a closer look at the back-to-campus
opportunity and how you can take advantage of this key period.

New year, new me

Students heading back to campus have a lot of shopping to do, including groceries, fashion,
beauty, tech and school supplies. With so many priorities, this period is an extremely busy
time for Gen Z spending. Let’s break it down a bit.

Students’ projected spend:

- Tech: £1.5BN
- Fashion: £1.5BN
- Beauty: £1.1BN
- Groceries: £157M
- School supplies: £77M

Groceries are highest on the priority list, with 74% of students saying they intend to stock up
cupboards and fridges ahead of term, while fashion (67%) and beauty (62%) follow closely
behind.

The start of a new academic year also sees a surge in subscription purchases, including
fitness services like gym memberships, as well as music and video streaming platforms. Over two-thirds (70%) of Gen Z intend to buy new music streaming subscriptions, while 64% plan to start a new fitness subscription.

Gen Z is projected to spend £4.3BN on back-to-campus items, which translates to an
average of £1,600 per student. In other words, if your brand isn’t tapping into this generation
right now, you’re missing an incredible chance to secure lifetime loyalty from young people.

Lots of spending, but at what cost?

As we’ve seen in plenty of UNiDAYS research, Gen Z is truly up against it in terms of
finances. Despite this, they’re resilient and still eager to purchase the products and services
they deem most important.

For freshers, parental/family support and credit cards are the most common methods used
to bolster personal finances, while returning students are more likely to fund their spending
via part-time or full-time employment.

What does that really mean for you, though?

It means students are still willing to spend, but they’re operating on restricted budgets. In
other words, they need a small push from brands in the form of support and 75% of Gen Z
say a student discount would make them more likely to make purchases.

As you’d expect, price is the number one consideration for Gen Z and the availability of a
student discount (or other incentives) directly alleviates their top stress factor. Freshers say
in-store discounts and free delivery are more important to them, while older students are
persuaded by product reviews.

The audience is there and willing to spend. The ball’s in your court.

Make your brand a Gen Z favourite

The back-to-school rush is one of the most expensive events in the student calendar. So,
how can you ensure your brand is making the most of it?

Partner with UNiDAYS to put your products and services directly in front of a verified student
audience of 29M+ members and benefit from actionable insights like these to supercharge
your youth marketing strategy.

For more on Gen Z in the coming months, including their overall sentiment, the holiday
season, side hustles and food & drink, download the Student Insight Report today.

Talk to UNiDAYS