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UK regulators approve Shein IPO in a victory for China: While it may be too late for the fast-fashion retailer, the move could put the UK in China’s good graces and protect it from the worst of the trade war.

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.

The UK is a world leader in mobile commerce. How can brands and retailers succeed in a competitive market?

The UK is still playing catch-up with China and the US on social shopping. Meta has been slow to introduce commerce functionality on its platforms in the UK; brands are cautious about investing in social; and consumers are turned off by fears of fraud. But the channel is gaining momentum fast:. Major brands are now selling on TikTok Shop.

The ability to sell to consumers directly via TikTok Shop and Amazon is contributing to healthy sales growth: US K-beauty sales on Amazon shot up by 122% YoY in Q3 2024, more than four times the growth rate for total skincare sales on the marketplace, per a Samsung Securities report.

Amid escalating geopolitical tensions and regulatory scrutiny in the US and Western Europe, Chinese ecommerce giants are increasingly turning their focus to Asia-Pacific.

A competitive ecommerce market has propelled retail digital ad spending to the top of the rankings. Digital ad spending overtook traditional in France in 2022 for the first time. Retail has led the way, though. Domestic retail brands like Carrefour and E.Leclerc have been growing their digital presence for many years.