YouTube debuts UK Shopping Affiliate Programme with M&S and Currys

The UK launch represents a serious challenge to TikTok Shop's dominance in the social commerce sector by leveraging YouTube's massive long-form and TV-based viewership. By automating product discovery with AI and lowering the entry barrier for mid-sized creators, YouTube is shifting away from simple referral links toward a integrated transaction layer. This move forces established retailers to align their affiliate strategies with video-native tools to capture high-intent traffic. For the broader industry, it marks the normalization of 'shoppable TV' as a standard retail channel. Watch for conversion data from early partners like Boots and Currys to see if YouTube can convert its 50% growth in shopping watch time into sustainable GMV.

Additional context. The UK's social commerce market is on a steep growth trajectory, with projections from Michon Creative in September 2025 suggesting it will reach £38 billion by 2026. This growth is largely fueled by Gen Z and Millennials, who are expected to account for over 60% of all social commerce spend within the next year. This creates a high-stakes environment for platforms like YouTube and TikTok to capture early loyalty from both creators and major retail brands.

Competitive pressure remains intense as TikTok Shop continues its rapid expansion. Per RedStag Fulfillment in late 2024, TikTok Shop reached 200,000 active sellers in the UK, a 100% year-over-year increase. While TikTok has found success with viral short-form trends like the #tiktokmademebuyit hashtag, YouTube's strategy focuses on its broader reach across devices—particularly Connected TV—and its established content library of reviews and unboxings.

Retailers are increasingly treating social platforms as transactional layers rather than just marketing channels. According to Research and Markets in May 2025, approximately 69% of UK consumers have made a purchase after seeing a product promoted by an influencer. As YouTube integrates with affiliate platforms like Awin (per Affiverse in July 2026), the focus for retailers is shifting toward data-driven attribution and seamless in-app checkouts to bridge the gap between product discovery and the final transaction.