This month, John Lewis released its How We Shop, Live and Look report for 2025. Based on the behaviours and tendencies of its customers, the retailer identified some of the biggest trends of the past year, most of which are predicted to continue going strong into the New Year. And that includes the new ‘shelf esteem’ trend – a term John Lewis coined and that’s all about showcasing the shelf itself, as much as what’s on it.
The humble shelves have been the focus of several home decor trends over the last few years – do you remember shelfies? Shelf scaping? And bookshelf wealth? But according to the John Lewis 2025 report, which also predicted that ice cream makers will overtake air fryers in popularity in 2026, it’s all about shelf esteem now.
