This week, we're diving into key strategies for modern retail. We'll explore why TikTok is essential for brands with impulse-buy products, examine the rising power of concessions in UK supermarkets, and discuss how to breathe new life into brand subscription models.

Happy reading!

#1 TikTok: The One Platform You Can’t Ignore (If Your Product Is Under £20)

Let’s cut straight to it:
If you’re a consumer brand with a product priced under £20 and you’re not on TikTok, you’re missing out.

This isn’t about chasing trends or dancing on camera. This is about understanding the fastest-growing discovery-to-purchase engine in the game - and how it perfectly aligns with low-friction, impulse-driven buying behaviour.

Why Under £20 Is the Sweet Spot on TikTok

TikTok isn’t a marketplace for high-consideration purchases.
It’s not where people go to research a £200 gadget or compare three brands of home insurance.

But when it comes to under £20 products?

• A £10 mascara

• A £7 snack pack

• A £15 bottle of hot sauce

• A £5 face roller

TikTok is built for it.

Here’s why:

• Impulse-Friendly Pricing – Under £20 is low enough to require zero overthinking. See it. Want it. Buy it.

• Low-Friction Conversions – TikTok Shop removes barriers. You can purchase without ever leaving the app.

• Virality Drives Volume – It only takes one post, one sound, or one creator to put your product in front of millions.

• Scroll-Stopper Content > Perfect Polish – Authenticity wins. A real user demoing your £12 product in their kitchen can sell more than a £1M TV campaign.

TikTok Isn’t Just Social - It’s a Sales Channel

Let’s be clear:
TikTok is no longer just a platform to raise awareness.

It’s where the funnel collapses.
You go from “never heard of it” to “where’s my parcel?” in 30 seconds.

Think of it as:

• Instagram for inspiration

• Amazon for convenience

• TikTok for discovery + conversion

If your product is priced right, TikTok becomes your most efficient storefront.

But Just Being on TikTok Isn’t Enough

You still need to do it right:

1. Lead with a strong hook – You've got 3 seconds. Start with the “why you need this.”
2. Show the product in action – Don't tell me it’s great. Show me how it solves a real problem.
3. Use creators – TikTok thrives on relatability. User-generated or creator content drives trust.
4. Link to TikTok Shop – Eliminate friction. One tap to purchase.
5. Nurture your community elsewhere – Use TikTok for awareness and first purchase. Then bring them into your world via email, loyalty, or Instagram.

Real Talk: Why Brands Are Winning at < £20

This pricing tier has the perfect blend of:

• Low barrier to entry

• High margin potential

• Broad appeal

• Fast path to virality

The algorithm favours momentum, and products that sit in the under £20 zone are the ones that fly.

They’re affordable, giftable, repeatable, and perfectly snackable from a content perspective.

Final Word

TikTok isn’t a trend, it’s a commerce engine.
And if your product is under £20, you’re sitting on the sweet spot of social shopping.

The brands who win here don’t wait for ads to work.
They show up, create scroll-stopping content, and make buying feel like part of the entertainment.

So the only real question is:
Why wouldn’t you be on TikTok right now?

#2 Are Concessions the UK Supermarket’s Secret Weapon?

Walk into your local Tesco or Sainsbury’s today, and it’s likely you’ll find more than just groceries.
There’s a Greggs serving sausage rolls, a Holland & Barrett tucked into the health aisle, or even a Specsavers in-store optician.

These aren’t just one-off partnerships - they’re part of a bigger shift.

Supermarket concessions are fast becoming a secret weapon in the battle for footfall, loyalty, and relevance.

Why Concessions Work (Now More Than Ever)

Let’s face it: the traditional weekly shop has changed. Online has taken a big chunk. Basket sizes are down. Consumers are more value-conscious and more time-poor.

So, how do you get people back into store and keep them there longer?

You give them reasons beyond groceries.

That’s exactly what concessions offer:

• A wider experience

• More convenience

• A new layer of relevance

And importantly for retailers:

• A higher return per square foot

Not Just Products - Purposeful Footfall

Concessions turn passive traffic into purpose-driven visits.

• A shopper may come in just to pick up vitamins at Holland & Barrett

• They may grab a Greggs lunch after school drop-off

• They might even stop for a coffee, dry cleaning, or eye test

These small but meaningful additions create dwell time, basket growth, and deeper loyalty.

The supermarket becomes more of a hub than a chore.

Tesco is Leading the Charge

Tesco has been the most aggressive in this space:

• Greggs concessions rolling out nationwide

• Holland & Barrett health zones with full product lines

• Pret A Manger in Express formats

• Esso partnerships for fuel + food convenience

They’re turning their stores into mini high streets, capturing spend across categories—without expanding footprint.

Concessions Reinvent the In-Store Experience

Retailers have been battling the narrative that in-store is transactional and tired.
Concessions breathe life back into the space:

• They offer fresh branding and new reasons to visit

• They allow retailers to tap into specialist credibility (why build a wellness brand when H&B can do it for you?)

• They add emotional and sensory moments into what can otherwise be a functional trip

Put simply: They make the supermarket feel more modern and more human.

What’s Next for Concessions?

The playbook is wide open. Expect to see:

• More specialist categories: fitness, pets, baby, home

• Service-led concessions: dry cleaning, parcel drop, beauty treatments

• Hyper-local partnerships: regional food vendors or independents inside larger chains

• Retail media activation within concession zones

And as retail media grows, these concession spaces could even become sponsored brand platforms - fully measurable, shoppable and integrated into loyalty ecosystems.

#2 Brand Subscriptions Aren’t Dead — But The Way We Use Them Should Be

Let’s be honest: brand subscriptions are stale.

The idea had promise - lock in loyalty, smooth out revenue, keep customers topped up without them thinking twice. But the reality? Most subscription models feel like they were built in a vacuum, not around real consumer behaviour.

The issue isn’t with subscriptions themselves. It’s how brands are building them.

Here’s the Problem: The Model is Rigid, Not Realistic

Most brand subscriptions operate on a default cycle:

• Every 30 days

• Every 60 days

• Every 90 days

And that’s it.

No nuance. No context. No data-driven decision-making.

The result?

• Oversupply of product

• Subscription fatigue

• And worst of all, customer churn disguised as convenience

The Real Miss: Not Every Product Is Used the Same Way Year-Round

Let’s take skincare as a perfect example:

• In winter, consumers burn through moisturisers and hydrating creams faster.

• In summer, usage drops, lighter textures, less layering, more sun protection.

So why would the delivery frequency stay the same?

Or think about cleaning products; used more frequently in some households, less in others.
Or supplements - some people travel, pause routines, or switch seasonally.

Subscription cycles don’t reflect these fluctuations. They ignore how humans actually live.

What Brands Should Be Doing Instead

If you’re offering subscriptions in 2024, it’s not enough to just automate delivery. You need to offer smart, data-led convenience.

Here’s what that looks like:

1. Dynamic Replenishment Based on Usage Patterns

Use purchase history, time between reorders, and seasonal data to suggest personalised delivery windows - not a default “every month.”

2. Allow Flexible Pause / Adjust Cycles

Proactively prompt customers:

This builds trust and reduces churn before it happens.

3. Segment by Environment and Behaviour

Build personas around how people actually use your product - urban vs rural, family vs single household, heavy vs light user - and tailor your flows accordingly.

4. Layer in Seasonality and Climate

Create smart subscription logic that adjusts for seasons, humidity, usage trends, and product categories. This is especially key for anything in personal care, wellness, or food & drink.

5. Reward Long-Term Relevance, Not Just Loyalty

Move beyond “subscribe and save” and give rewards for making smarter choices, staying engaged, and adjusting deliveries based on real need.

The Real Opportunity? A Shift From Subscription to Personalised Continuity

Consumers don’t want more product.
They want less friction.
They want products that show up when they actually need them.

That means giving them:
✅ Control
✅ Relevance
✅ And a model that adapts to their behaviour -not the other way around

Subscriptions aren’t dead. But lazy subscription models are.

If your brand is still sending out skincare, snacks, or supplements every 30 days without checking how they’re actually being used, you’re not building loyalty. You’re building churn.

Smarter subscriptions aren’t about more boxes.
They’re about better timing, better insight, and better service.

Brands who get that?
They’ll be the ones customers never unsubscribe from.

Free Tools to Help your Brand

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