With half of the UK population now passing through the doors of discount retailers and their sales showing double digit year-on-year growth, there’s certainly an appetite for discounted goods. But what’s behind this shift? And how is it affecting the UK’s retail landscape?

Are Britons still as proud of their nation? And what’s the latest food craze? In our 2014 / 15 cultural snapshot of the United Kingdom, we demystify cultural myths, shed light on the country’s economic outlook, and explore the emerging and established trends across eleven sectors.

With Britons doing more online shopping than any other nation, high street retailers are finding new ways to lure people through their doors. London's EAT17 is a one-stop shop, offering kitchen towels, gourmet sausages, a quick burger or fancy evening meal, all under one roof.

With the spread of technology, companies are exploring the ways household chores can be made more bearable. Amazon is appealing to grocery-hating mothers everywhere with Amazon Dash – the kitchen assistant intended to do for the shopping list what Kindle did for the e-book.