Hotel Chocolat, which was ranked Britain’s most advocated brand, is well positioned to win the battle for spend this year as brand loyalty becomes a key driver for sales this year.

Consumption growth will be heavy-going this year according to consultant Bain, however people will still spend on brands which mean something to them.

Brand advocates are the primary reason why shoppers buy in-store and through above the line marketing, according to research conducted by the consultant.

Hotel Chocolat was the only British brand to rank in the top 10 of most advocated brands after 6,000 people were surveyed in the research.

Chief executive of the chocolatier, Angus Thirwell said: “Loyalty is a fundamental building block of any sustainable business especially in this industry.”

Bain believes too many marketers assume shoppers are loyal and focus on the wrong type of marketing activities, ignoring in-store activities.

The Hotel Chocolat boss said there was no great secret the brand’s success.

“There’s nothing revolutionary about it. We just treat our guests [customers] as we’d like to be treated ourselves. You can’t generate advocacy with a marketing ploy, it’s about quality, innovation and the customer being a genuine focus,” he said.

Bain believes the retailer is well-positioned to take advantage of the trend towards everyday luxury.

It pinpointed Hotel Chocolat’s store design, which encourages shoppers to become connoisseurs, the bespoke feel of its products and distinctive brand as the reason why it ranks so highly.

Within fashion, Diesel and Paul Smith were found to be the most advocated retail brands and in accessories, Clarks and Marks & Spencer came out on top.

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