Aug 11, 2026 | Social history, Stories
How Britain coped with the 1976 potato shortage In the summer of 1976, Britain discovered the limits of its national stoicism. The drought scorched fields, potato yields collapsed, and chip shops quietly began to reduce portions or close early. It wasn’t official...
Jun 26, 2026 | Advertising and media, Brands, Stories
Launched in 1976, this year the Yorkie chocolate bar celebrates its 50th anniversary. And just like the trucker who featured in its early TV advertising, it’s been on quite a journey. Research reports held within AMSR tell the story… From Launch to Success: The Making...
May 18, 2026 | Brands, Stories
If you trace the long arc of British dieting from the late 1980s to the 2020s, the first thing you notice is that the dieting never stopped. The TGI chart of Trying to Lose Weight, 1987–2022, shows a steady, relentless rise. By 2022 about 40% of UK adults are trying...
Apr 28, 2026 | Brands, Social history, Stories
“There’s no point buying £40 shoes for a £400 suit” says a respondent in a 1989 study for Adidas, who were looking to launch an international lifestyle brand (including shoes). The report, held within AMSR, summarises the UK qualitative research, and...
Mar 18, 2026 | Brands, Social history, Stories
The shoe retailer Russell and Bromley has been bought by Next, following a period in administration. The business is over 150 years old, having started in 1873, but now joins other brands in a familiar path to largely disappearing off the high street. 30-year TGI data...
