UK Social Commerce 2024

Sales Surge as TikTok Shop Drives Social Spending Among Gen Z and Young Millennials

Report by Carina Perkins  | Nov 12, 2024
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Executive Summary
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Executive Summary
Social commerce is a growing opportunity in the UK
Social platforms are closing the gap between awareness and purchase
TikTok Shop is catching up with Meta on social commerce
What should retailers and brands keep in mind when planning their social commerce strategy?
Sources
Media Gallery
About This Report
Social commerce is gaining momentum in the UK—with sales set to double by 2028—as major brands join TikTok and as more people shop on social platforms.
Topics
Social Commerce
Consumer Behavior
Ecommerce Sales
UK
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Social commerce is a growing opportunity in the UK
Social platforms are closing the gap between awareness and purchase
TikTok Shop is catching up with Meta on social commerce
What should retailers and brands keep in mind when planning their social commerce strategy?
Sources
Media Gallery

Social commerce is a fast-growing opportunity in the UK. Sales are set to double over the next four years, as more people make purchases via social media platforms and as existing buyers spend more. To make the most out of this burgeoning channel, brands and retailers must understand which consumers are shopping via social, where they are spending their money, and what they’re buying.

Key Question: What is the outlook for social commerce in the UK in 2025 and beyond?

UK Social Buyer Numbers Have Surged Since the Pandemic and the Launch of TikTok Shop in the UK (millions of UK social buyers, % change, and % of digital buyers, 2020-2028)
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Key Stat: There will be 21.5 million social buyers in the UK by 2028—up 82.2% from 11.8 million in 2021.

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Table of Contents

  1. Executive Summary
  2. Social commerce is a growing opportunity in the UK
  3. Social platforms are closing the gap between awareness and purchase
  1. TikTok Shop is catching up with Meta on social commerce
  2. What should retailers and brands keep in mind when planning their social commerce strategy?
  3. Sources
  1. Media Gallery

Charts in This Report

UK Social Buyer Numbers Have Surged Since the Pandemic and the Launch of TikTok Shop in the UK (millions of UK social buyers, % change, and % of digital buyers, 2020-2028)UK Social Commerce Sales Are Growing Fast and Set to Double Over the Next Four Years (billions in UK social commerce sales and 4-year CAGR, 2024 vs. 2028)
Gen Z and Millennials Are More Likely to Shop Regularly on Social Than Stores or Marketplaces (% of UK consumers who regularly use these shopping channels, by generation, Sep 2024)People Are Using Social Media Platforms as Search Engines to Find and Research Potential Purchases (% of UK consumers, April 2024)
Demos, Ads, and Promos Are More Effective at Driving Social Sales Than Influencer Partnerships (% of UK consumers, July 2024)People Are Most Likely to Buy Discretionary Items Such as Makeup and Clothing on Social Media (% of UK adults, April 2024)
18- to 34-Year-Olds Are the Most Likely to Use In-App Checkout When Shopping on Social Platforms (% of UK digital buyers, Feb 2024)TikTok Is the Second-Most Popular Social Media Platform for Social Commerce Purchases (% of UK digital buyers who have purchased via each social media platform in the past month, Feb 2024)
TikTok Has Overtaken Instagram as the Top Social Shopping Platform for 18- to 34-Year-Olds (% of UK digital buyers who have purchased via each social media platform, April 2023 vs. Feb 2024)

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authors

Carina Perkins

Contributors

Suzy Davidkhanian
VP, Content
Vladimir de Leon
Chart Editor
Bill Fisher
Donte Gibson
Senior Charts Editor
Delfina Huergo Bensadon
Madan Kumar
Copy Editor
Wendy Malloy
Director, Reports Editor
Matt Torpey
Senior Chart Editor
Emman Velasco
Chart Editor