6th June 2026
there is quite a lot of evidence that many UK households have been changing their spending habits to prepare for high winter energy costs, although it is often more accurately described as "coping strategies" than formal preparation.
Around 11 million UK households planned to buy warming gadgets or clothing to reduce heating costs.
About 40% of households expected to buy items such as thermal clothing, heated throws, electric blankets or similar products.
Thermal leggings, socks and base layers were already owned by nearly half of households surveyed.
Retailers have reported similar trends:
John Lewis reported increased sales of thermal clothing, hooded blankets and other "wearable warmth" products as customers sought alternatives to turning up the heating.
Earlier retail data showed strong sales of blankets, jumpers and energy-efficient appliances as households prepared for winter energy bills.
What are people buying?
The most common purchases appear to be:
Thermal underwear and base layers
Thick socks and slippers
Hooded blankets ("Oodies" and similar products)
Electric blankets and heated throws
Hot water bottles
Draught excluders and window sealing products
Air fryers and other appliances seen as cheaper to run than conventional ovens
There is also evidence that energy companies themselves have encouraged this shift. Some suppliers have distributed tens of thousands of electric blankets to vulnerable customers because heating a person directly is far cheaper than heating an entire room.
Are people improving their homes?
This is where the picture is less encouraging.
Many people are making small improvements such as:
Draught-proofing doors and windows.
Adding loft insulation where possible.
Using thermal curtains.
Reducing heat loss around pipes and loft hatches.
However, major investments such as heat pumps, solid-wall insulation and solar panels remain expensive, and cost remains the biggest barrier to adoption.
What does this tell us?
One of the more striking developments since the energy crisis began is that many households appear to have shifted from trying to keep their homes warm to trying to keep themselves warm.
Electric blankets, heated throws and thermal clothing are popular because they are dramatically cheaper than heating an entire house. Estimates suggest a heated blanket may cost only a few pence per hour to run, compared with tens of pence per hour for a portable electric heater.
For Scotland in particular, where winter temperatures are lower and many homes are older and harder to insulate, the incentive to adopt these measures is arguably even stronger.
The broader question for winter 2026–27 is whether households believe current energy prices are the "new normal". The retail evidence suggests many do. People are not simply buying winter clothing because the weather is getting colder; many are buying products specifically designed to reduce the amount of heating they need to use.
Battery Powered Clothes
Battery-powered heated clothing is still a niche market compared with ordinary thermal underwear, the available evidence suggests sales are growing quite rapidly.
Industry research consistently shows annual growth rates of around 9–15% for heated clothing, with battery-heated jackets, vests, gloves and socks among the fastest-growing segments. Several market studies estimate global sales are rising by roughly 10–12% per year.
The main drivers appear to be:
Higher energy costs encouraging people to heat themselves rather than entire rooms.
Improvements in lithium-ion batteries, making garments lighter and more practical.
Growing use by outdoor workers, motorcyclists, walkers and winter sports enthusiasts.
Better temperature controls and longer battery life.
One study estimates more than 52 million heated garments were shipped globally in 2024, with shipments continuing to rise. Heated jackets account for nearly half of demand.
However, there is an important distinction between market growth and mass-market adoption.
For most UK households facing high heating bills, the first purchases tend to be:
Thermal underwear
Heated throws
Electric blankets
Hot water bottles
Thick socks and fleeces
These are usually much cheaper than battery-powered clothing. A heated vest can easily cost £80–£150, while a heated jacket may cost £150–£300 or more.
But check it out on Amazon and Temu as many cheaper prices are around.
What is interesting is that battery-heated clothing is increasingly being marketed not just to outdoor enthusiasts but as an energy-saving product for everyday life. The logic is simple: if a heated vest uses perhaps 10–20 watts of power, it costs only pennies to charge, whereas heating an entire room may consume 1,000–2,000 watts. That economic argument has become much more attractive since the energy crisis.