FROM BAG CHARMS TO BAR CARTS: THE SPENDS THAT DEFINED THE NATION IN 2025

Australia’s shopping habits in 2025 were nothing if not contradictory, and that, according to Afterpay, is precisely the point.

The buy-now-pay-later giant has released its annual Afterpaid 2025 Report, analysing anonymised transaction data from 4.1 million Australians to map what the country actually spent money on over the past year.

Baggy jeans were paired with fitted cardigans. LED face masks landed in baskets alongside lube. Hotel getaways were booked next to camping chairs. Australians, it turns out, are shopping for the lives they want, not the ones that look tidy on paper.

With a customer base dominated by Gen Z and Millennials, Afterpay’s data offers one of the clearest real-time views of how Australians are living, spending and prioritising right now.

The unlikely heroes of the checkout

Some of the most popular Afterpaid purchases of 2025 read like a list no traditional trend forecaster would dare predict.

Booking.com hotel stays topped the list, followed by Nike Tuned 1 sneakers. But nestled alongside them were MyCar wheel alignments and tickets to Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live, proof that adulting and nostalgia now comfortably share a payment plan.

The plot twists nobody saw coming

While Nike sneakers and Labubu dolls were always going to have their moment, some of the year’s biggest shopping surprises were far less obvious.

Wheel alignments emerged as an unexpected essential. Nespresso’s limited-edition peppermint coffee went viral almost overnight among Gen X and Millennials.

Adult role-play costumes surged, confirming that Australians are increasingly comfortable buying whatever sparks joy, no explanations required.

Experiences move to the centre of the spend

If there was one clear shift in 2025, it was the move from stuff to stories.

Hotel bookings, festivals, live shows, wine tours and boat parties all spiked sharply. Hotels.com purchases jumped 73 per cent, while boat party tickets soared 104 per cent.

Flexible payments, it seems, have made experiences once considered luxuries feel far more accessible.

Fashion breaks its own rules

Australian wardrobes in 2025 thrived on contradiction.

Baggy jeans and ultra-baggy sweatpants dominated Gen Z closets, worn by 57 per cent of shoppers. At the same time, fitted cardigans emerged as a surprise hero piece, signalling a quiet pullback from head-to-toe oversized silhouettes.

Accessories had their own moment. Bag charms became the micro-trend of the year. Mesh flats rose 96 per cent, ballet flats stayed strong, and cowboy boots sold five times more in Sydney and Melbourne than in Queensland.

Nike Tuned 1 cemented its place as Australia’s default sneaker, with Gen Z responsible for 44 per cent of purchases, while kitten heels staged an unlikely comeback, jumping 193 per cent.

Beauty gets brighter and bolder

Self-care in 2025 came with tech, confidence and very little shame.

Women leaned into high-tech beauty, with LED masks up 95 per cent, press-on nails up 93 per cent, and gua sha tools up 80 per cent. Ice rollers also surged.

Men focused on grooming upgrades, with tooth whitening kits jumping 115 per cent as haircare and skincare continued their steady climb.

Homes get a glow-up

Australians invested heavily in making their homes more comfortable, social and polished.

Bar carts rose 117 per cent, signalling a renewed enthusiasm for entertaining at home. Wall sconces and pendant lighting surged, while robot vacuums proved particularly popular with Millennials.

Storage, bedding and mattress purchases all climbed as shoppers refreshed their spaces rather than upgrading their postcodes.

X-rated purchases go mainstream

One of the most apparent cultural shifts was the normalisation of adult purchases.

Role-play outfits surged 292 per cent, lingerie and lace sets performed strongly, and smaller, simpler adult toys dominated demand. Lovehoney’s 6-inch Classic

Realistic dildo ranked among the year’s top adult items, with minimal fuss and no euphemisms required.

Tech, gaming and at-home optimisation

Screen protection ranked among the top tech purchases, while e-readers jumped a staggering 352 per cent, fuelled by BookTok’s ongoing grip on reading habits.

Ring lights rose 133 per cent, peaking mid-January, while bright rings climbed steadily.

Walking pads surged during the New Year reset period, confirming Australians’ ongoing commitment to wellness without leaving the house.

Comfort adventure takes off

Outdoors spending reflected a preference for comfort over endurance.

Camping chairs dominated outdoor purchases, inflatable paddleboards proved particularly popular with women, and golf clubs continued their cool-factor revival. Hammock sales spiked in early February, led by NSW and Queensland.

Emily Marshall, Director of Trade & Partner Marketing APAC at Afterpay, said the data revealed a confident, expressive consumer mindset.

"Australians voted with their wallets for joy, comfort and self-expression. Afterpaid 2025 paints a picture of a country that's savvy, culturally plugged-in and unafraid to embrace contradictions.

It's a real-time snapshot of how we live, spend and express ourselves - and that's what makes this report so uniquely Australian."

Looking ahead to 2026, the data suggests Australians will keep prioritising experiences over possessions, comfort over conformity and authenticity over fleeting micro-trends, with flexible payments firmly embedded in how the nation shops.