Let Them Have Cake

Brands giving us guilt-free indulgence as a balm in an era of restraint.

That old adage, "less is more", has reigned supreme for far too long. From Kate Moss to the Atkins diet, "clean girl" to "75 Hard", the morality of discipline has been drilled into us all for years. And with the rise of Ozempic, the focus on restraint has only been turned up another gear.

But in today’s challenging social, economic, and political times, we’re rediscovering a need for familiar comforts and a little self-forgiveness.

Maybe there is a way to find a more sustainable balance between treating and temperance.

The desire to look good, and all that requires, is never going to go away, but taking a moment for pleasure can be a balm in complex times. There are big opportunities for brands who aren’t afraid of a bit of excess and, as the design agency for pleasure brands, we’re excited to see indulgence swinging back into style.

Olive Oil: Single & Fat

As House & Garden magazine posits that olive oil is on its way to replacing a bottle of wine as the best gift for dinner party hosts, we’re entering a new golden era for liquid gold.

While many olive oil brands trade on provenance or organic credentials, for Single & Fat the joy is in the name: single-batch fatty oil, made for dousing, not drizzling.

With a bold label flipping the narrative on millennial pink from curated restraint to joyful excess, and an industrial tin pack, the serving suggestion is clear: lots, often.

Chocolate: Fatso

While there is a place for barkTHINS, McVities Digestive Thins, and Oreo Thins, chunkier chocolate is having a moment too.

The chunks themselves are getting increasingly sizeable, but so are the number and variety of inclusions. Pretzels, nuts, nougat and more are all being packed in.

No brand embodies this spirit more than Fatso. With fully loaded chunky bars and retro-inspired illustrated packs, Fatso is throwing out the restrained codes of premium chocolate and making something much more delicious.

Butter: All Things Butter

Butter is pretty neat. A scrape of good butter on a slice of bread, few things are better. And yet we’ve been letting poor substitutes into our homes for years.

All Things Butter thinks it’s time we treated ourselves better. Celebrating the British farming tradition, but not beholden to the status quo, the brand’s range of flavours is looking to zhuzh up everyday cooking.

With characterful packaging, there’s no way butter will be an afterthought again.

Soda: Swig

Capitalising on our experimental era is soda-fountain chain Swig, which expanded its locations by 25% in the second half of 2024, driven by a focus on "Dirty Sodas".

Combining classic soft drinks with cream, flavoured syrups, and a variety of add-ins like sweets or ice cream creates a saccharine concoction more like a dessert than a drink, served in a large cup emblazoned with a distinctive red logo.

Clearly our tastebuds are hankering for more, and it goes beyond simply full fat. We’re looking for full flavour, the weirder the better. Think Dua Lipa’s Coke and pickle juice cocktail, McDonald’s "Rogue Dip" campaign, or even the viral Kraft Mac & Cheese ice cream.

Ultimate Indulgence: Coop’s Original Hot Fudge

Little is more indulgent than a big scoop of ice cream. Sweet and smooth, so frequently eaten by the tub rather than the bowl that low-calorie ice creams now cater specifically to that desire. But even by the gallon, the lighter versions don’t quite scratch the itch. Sometimes only the real deal will do.

Born in an ice cream parlour, hot fudge brand Coop’s knows that real ice cream needs toppings that do it justice.

Thick, rich and made for drizzling, the jar perfectly describes what’s inside. From the nostalgic drizzled logotype to the distinctive drippy lid, this is indulgence to the max.