TikTok Social Commerce Is Booming: Stats and Trends for 2025

TikTok has rapidly evolved from a Gen Z dance app into a social commerce powerhouse – and nowhere is this more evident than in the UK. Brands are discovering that TikTok isn’t just an entertainment platform; it’s a dynamic marketplace where communities, creators, and commerce converge. In 2025, TikTok-driven shopping is booming in Britain, reshaping how consumers discover and buy products. The numbers tell a compelling story of surging usage, high shopper engagement, and record-breaking sales generated through the app.  Figure: UK social commerce sales are projected to more than double from ~£7.4 billion in 2024 to £15.7 billion by 2028, reflecting rapid growth in channels like TikTok Shop.

In this post, we’ll dive into the latest UK-specific TikTok commerce statistics, key trends defining TikTok’s social shopping ecosystem, and actionable insights for brands looking to ride this wave. The tone is analytical and strategic – perfect for marketing and e-commerce leaders who want to capitalize on TikTok’s momentum.

TikTok Commerce by the Numbers in the UK (2025)

TikTok’s footprint in the UK has exploded, both in audience and in commerce activity. Here are some key stats underlining its impact:

• Nearly 25 million UK users: TikTok had about 24.8 million users aged 18+ in the UK by early 2025 – roughly half of all UK adults. This user base puts TikTok ahead of platforms like Twitter and Snapchat in reach.
• Unmatched engagement: British users are among the world’s most engaged TikTokers, spending 49+ hours per month on the Android app – more than double YouTube’s usage and triple Facebook’s. This attention makes TikTok fertile ground for product discovery.
• High shopping intent: Over 52% of weekly TikTok users in the UK say they’re interested in buying products directly through the app. In fact, three in five TikTok users follow brand accounts for a sense of community and belonging – a unique blend of social connection and commerce.
• Brands flocking to TikTok: Approximately 1.5 million UK businesses now use TikTok to promote products or services. Of these, over 200,000 UK sellers are active on TikTok Shop, a number that doubled from last year. Major retailers (from beauty giants like L’Oréal to small startups) have joined TikTok Shop alongside a long tail of small businesses.
• Rapid revenue growth: TikTok Shop UK was the fastest-growing online retailer in 2024. The UK saw a 131% year-on-year increase in TikTok Shop shoppers, and a 180% jump in TikTok-driven revenue by late 2024. Social shopping is big business – U.K. social commerce sales are forecast to surge from roughly £7.4 billion in 2024 to £15.7 billion by 2028.
• Live shopping surge: Live commerce is taking off – more than 6,000 TikTok Shop LIVE streams now happen in the UK every day, connecting influencers and customers in real time. This “shoppertainment” approach is resonating with consumers: half of TikTok users have made a purchase after watching a TikTok Live broadcast.

These figures underscore how TikTok has become a major shopping channel for UK consumers. Over 56% of UK social media users have made a purchase directly through a social or entertainment platform, and TikTok is leading the charge. In fact, 93% of TikTok users engage in shopping-related activities on the app (versus 82% of social media users overall). TikTok’s blend of engaging content and seamless in-app shopping is transforming the customer journey from discovery to checkout.

Key Trends Shaping TikTok’s Social Shopping Ecosystem

Several important trends are driving TikTok’s social commerce boom in 2025. Understanding these can help brands craft smarter strategies on the platform:

Live Shopping Becomes Mainstream

Live stream commerce – or “Live Shopping” – has moved from novelty to mainstream on TikTok. Brands and creators host live video streams where viewers can see products demoed in real time, ask questions via comments, and purchase on the spot. In the UK, TikTok live shopping events have proliferated (6k+ live streams daily) and proven to be sales powerhouses. Not only do these streams recreate the urgency and interactivity of in-store shopping, they also convert viewers into buyers at impressive rates – 50% of TikTok users have bought a product after seeing it on a Liverootdigital.co.uk.

Case in point: beauty brand P.Louise partnered with agency Somerce to host a blockbuster TikTok Live showcase, aiming for £1 million in sales. They ended up doubling that goal, generating £2 million GMV in a single day and breaking all previous TikTok Shop records. This record-setting live event (in August 2025) underscores the scale achievable when you combine authentic audience engagement with real-time purchasing. Fashion label Made by Mitchell similarly became the first UK business to hit £1 million on one TikTok Live stream. Clearly, shoppable livestreams are redefining event sales – from product launches to seasonal “TikTok Shop Live” specials – and brands are learning that hosting regular Lives can significantly boost visibility and revenue.

What makes TikTok Live especially potent is the sense of trust and community it builds. During Lives, brands can interact directly with thousands of customers at once – answering questions, showcasing product details up close, and building excitement. “TikTok Shop Live gives us instant customer service. It instills trust,” notes one UK brand CEO, who credits TikTok Shop for 26% of their company’s revenue within three months of launch. The real-time engagement and authenticity of live video help overcome the hesitation of online buyers, effectively bringing the in-store demo experience into users’ feeds.

Creators and Affiliates Fuel Product Discovery

TikTok’s commerce ecosystem is powered heavily by creators and affiliate marketers. The hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt (which went viral as users share products they found on TikTok) speaks to the platform’s outsized influence on purchase decisions. According to one analysis, 55% of TikTok users have bought something from a brand after seeing it on TikTok. Much of this influence comes from TikTok’s creator community – from mega influencers to micro-influencers – who authentically showcase products in their content.

To harness this, TikTok launched its Shop Affiliate program, enabling creators to earn commission by featuring products. This program has exploded: over 100,000 creators now participate, and engagement rates on TikTok affiliate links average 5.2% – 160% higher than Instagram’s affiliate link engagement. In other words, TikTok creators drive significantly more interaction and traffic per post, giving brands a high-ROI way to amplify reach.

Brands in the UK are leveraging affiliates to scale sales rapidly. For example, Azio Beauty (a skincare brand) tapped a hand-picked cohort of TikTok creators as affiliates. By providing them with creative guidance (hooks, phrases, on-brand messaging), Azio achieved a breakout success – growing from zero to £100K per month in sales within 60 days on TikTok Shop. Similarly, Glow For It (a beauty retailer) built an incentivized creator community (“lash journey” content creators) who posted regularly and went live daily. The result was a +500% uplift in GMV – effectively quintupling their TikTok Shop revenue through affiliate-driven content and live streams. These cases show the power of aligning with enthusiastic creators: affiliates can produce a steady drumbeat of authentic content, driving product virality and “social proof” at scale.

The affiliate trend isn’t limited to small brands. Even global companies are leveraging TikTok creators for “shoppertainment” campaigns. We’ve seen fashion and beauty labels seed products with TikTok influencers, causing certain items to sell out after trending (#TikTokMadeMeBuyIt). A famous example is Little Moons (a UK snack brand) which saw a 1300% sales spike after a TikTok video frenzy went viral, racking up 6.7 million impressions. Influencer-driven discovery is now a core part of the TikTok commerce playbook – brands succeed by letting creators lead the conversation.

Community & Entertainment Drive Conversion

TikTok thrives on a community-driven, entertainment-first culture – and this is proving to be a catalyst for commerce. On TikTok, shopping doesn’t feel like traditional advertising; it feels like discovering products through a friend or through engaging storytelling. UK consumers are embracing this “discovery commerce” wholeheartedly. Surveys show 88% of TikTok users have discovered new brands or products on the platform that they’re interested in – the highest discovery rate of any social network. In fact, one in three consumers now say social platforms (like TikTok) are their preferred channel for finding new products, beating search engines and physical stores.

Why is TikTok so effective at this? A big factor is the sense of community and authenticity on the app. TikTok’s algorithm serves content based on interests, not social circles, which allows niche communities and trends to flourish. Users feel like participants in brand stories, not just passive consumers. About 66% of TikTok users feel more connected to brands they interact with on TikTok, compared to less than half who feel that way on other platforms. Features like duets, challenges, and comment threads turn campaigns into two-way conversations. Brands that lean into community-building – for example, by encouraging user-generated content or responding to comments – often see stronger loyalty and conversion.

Authenticity is the keyword. Glossy, polished ads are less effective on TikTok than relatable, unfiltered content. Successful brands often showcase real people (employees, creators, customers) using their products in fun or useful ways. Educational how-tos, behind-the-scenes peeks, and comedic sketches all perform well while implicitly marketing a product. This aligns with consumer behavior: people on TikTok want to be entertained and informed. Seeing products in context (e.g. a skincare routine, a fashion try-on, a cooking demo) drives purchasing far more than a static product shot. Roughly 47.9% of TikTok users say they use the platform specifically to gather information about a product before buying – watching reviews, demos, and real-life usage. TikTok collapses the funnel from awareness to consideration to purchase into one fluid feed of content.

Importantly, the sense of community fosters trust, which is crucial for conversion. Many UK TikTok shoppers will check comments and see how others react to a product video; positive peer feedback can tip them into buying. Live chats during streams allow prospective buyers to get instant validation from both the host and other viewers (“I bought this, it’s great!”). This social proof element has made TikTok a form of the new “word of mouth.” As one beverage brand founder put it, TikTok has allowed customers to “interact with each other and recommend our products, all through the platform” – something that doesn’t happen in a typical e-commerce site. Brands that treat TikTok as a community hub – not just an ad channel – stand to gain devoted, evangelizing customers who drive viral momentum.

Retailers Race to Join the TikTok Gold Rush

Given the eye-popping growth numbers and success stories, it’s no surprise that brands are racing to establish a TikTok commerce presence. TikTok’s unique blend of reach and conversion has made it a must-have channel for many UK businesses in 2025. More than 200,000 UK sellers (mostly small to mid-sized businesses) are active on TikTok Shop, double the count from a year prior. And it’s not only startups and D2C brands – household names like ASOS, L’Oréal, and Zalando have launched official TikTok Shop storefronts, recognizing that TikTok can deliver incremental growth especially among younger shoppers.

One reason for this rush is the strong ROI early adopters have reported. Brands that moved marketing budget into TikTok have often seen better returns than on legacy social platforms. In fact, early adopter advertisers have noted higher return on ad spend (ROAS) on TikTok compared to other social media. TikTok’s ad offerings (shoppable video ads, Spark ads leveraging creator posts, etc.) combined with its algorithmic content discovery can produce efficient results, especially when paired with organic trend-jacking. Moreover, TikTok’s cost of advertising has historically been lower than Facebook’s, though rising, making it attractive for those who get in early.

TikTok is also quickly improving its commerce features – from in-app checkout and Shopify integration to shopping ads and fulfillment services – making it easier for brands to set up shop and for consumers to buy seamlessly. The platform’s expansion across Europe (TikTok Shop launched in multiple EU countries in 2023–2025) is further evidence of confidence in this model. In the UK, robust growth has emboldened TikTok to invest in seller support, local warehouses, and new tools (like affiliate marketplaces and Shop ads). All signs point to TikTok doubling down on commerce, which means brands that build expertise now will have an advantage as the platform continues to mature.

Challenges do exist: rapid growth has invited regulatory scrutiny around data privacy and content standards. The EU’s Digital Services Act, for instance, prompted investigations into TikTok’s algorithms and consumer protections. Brands should remain mindful of compliance (clear labeling of paid content, protecting younger audiences, etc.) to maintain trust. However, these challenges are manageable, and they pale against the opportunity TikTok presents. The trajectory is clear – social commerce is here to stay, and TikTok is leading the pack.

Actionable Insights: How Brands Can Grow via TikTok Commerce

For brands eager to tap into TikTok’s social commerce boom, here are strategic, actionable steps informed by the trends and stats above:

1. Establish Your TikTok Shop Presence Early: Don’t wait – set up a TikTok Shop or integrate your product catalog now. With millions of UK users and competitors already active, having an in-app storefront is becoming as essential as a website. The platform is still in high-growth mode (with UK TikTok Shop revenue up 180% last year), so early movers can capture disproportionate gains. Many brands find that TikTok drives incremental sales rather than cannibalizing other channels, reaching audiences you might miss elsewhere.
2. Leverage Live Shopping Events: Make live video a part of your sales strategy. Plan regular TikTok LIVE sessions – product reveals, Q&As, tutorials, or behind-the-scenes streams – to engage your audience in real time. Lives can dramatically boost conversion rates by recreating an in-store experience online. Ensure you promote the livestreams ahead of time (on TikTok and other channels) to build an audience. During the stream, interact with viewers and use TikTok’s shopping tools (pin product links, offer limited-time promo codes) to drive urgency. The payoff can be huge: successful UK brands have seen tens of thousands of pounds in live sales in a single session. Even smaller streams can yield valuable sales and deepen customer loyalty. Consider assigning a charismatic host (or even a rotation of employees/influencers) to represent your brand on Lives and create a personal connection with shoppers.
3. Partner with Creators and Affiliates: TikTok is a creator-driven platform – to win here, collaborate with the influencers and micro-influencers who align with your brand. Identify creators in your niche and invite them to join your affiliate program or create sponsored content. Empower creators to tell authentic stories with your products; their creativity and trust with audiences will spark demand far more than conventional ads. Track the TikTok Shop Affiliate program for high-engagement creators who could promote your products. Offer attractive commissions or perks to motivate them. Some brands even form private creator communities (a la Glow For It’s approach) to regularly seed new content. The key is to scale up the volume of organic-looking product mentions – when 100 creators each post a video about your item, you dramatically increase the odds of a viral hit. Just one trending moment can sell out inventory (remember Little Moons’ 1300% sales jump from TikTok virality). Finally, don’t overlook “micro” influencers; TikTok’s algorithm can propel a nano-creator’s video to millions of views if it resonates, and smaller creators often have higher engagement rates than big names.
4. Focus on Community and Authenticity: TikTok users reward content that feels genuine, entertaining, or informative – not overt sales pitches. As a brand, your content strategy should prioritize storytelling over selling. Showcase your product in use, share user-generated videos, hop on trending sounds or challenges (when relevant), and respond to comments to humanize your brand. Building a TikTok community – even a small but passionate one – can pay off in higher lifetime value. Encourage your followers to post their experiences (unboxings, before-and-afters, etc.) and engage with those posts (duet, stitch, comment) to show that you’re listening. This not only boosts loyalty, but also creates a snowball of social proof. Remember, 66% of TikTok users feel more connected to brands on TikTok – nurture that connection by speaking the platform’s language. A bit of humor, trend-savvy references, or lo-fi video can make your brand seem more approachable and authentic to TikTok audiences, which in turn drives conversions and repeat business.
5. Use Data and Trends to Guide Content: TikTok’s trending nature means you should stay agile and data-driven. Use TikTok Analytics (and TikTok Shop’s dashboard) to learn what content is performing – notice which videos drive profile visits or add-to-cart actions. Double down on formats or themes that work (e.g. if quick “hack” videos about your product go viral, make more). Also, keep an eye on TikTok trends in your industry: if a certain hashtag or meme format is blowing up, brainstorm ways to tastefully incorporate your product or brand into that trend. Timing is everything – a well-timed TikTok that rides a trend wave can bring in a windfall of new customers. Also experiment with TikTok’s ad tools to amplify successful organic posts; a small boost can sometimes kick an already-engaging video into virality. On the commerce side, monitor your TikTok Shop analytics: which products get the most clicks or conversions? Feature those heroes more prominently in content and Lives. In short, treat TikTok as a learning lab – iterate quickly based on feedback and performance data.
6. Prepare for Scale (Operations & Trust): If all goes well, TikTok can drive sudden spikes in demand – be ready. Ensure your inventory and fulfillment can handle a viral event (nothing disappoints new customers more than stockouts or shipping delays after they’ve been “made to buy it” on TikTok). It’s wise to have a plan for customer service via TikTok as well, since shoppers may reach out in comments or DMs. During big live events, have moderators on hand (Somerce’s case studies often credit robust moderation for smoothing live sales) to answer questions and filter any inappropriate comments so the shopping experience remains positive. Trust and safety are important; clearly communicate return policies, and follow advertising guidelines (e.g. use #ad where required, disclose partnerships) – TikTok’s young-savvy audience can be quick to call out inauthentic or sketchy behavior. By operating transparently and responsively, you’ll build a strong reputation that keeps shoppers coming back. Remember, social commerce is as much about experience as convenience – a delightful TikTok shopping experience will win you not just one sale, but potentially an advocate who shares their purchase story with others.
7. Integrate TikTok into Your Broader Strategy: Finally, ensure TikTok isn’t an isolated effort. Cross-pollinate your content and insights across channels. For example, the videos that perform well on TikTok can be repurposed for Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts, extending their life. Promote your TikTok handle and live events to your email list or on your website (“see us live on TikTok this Friday”). Likewise, feature TikTok reviews or UGC on your product pages to add social proof (many brands now embed TikTok videos on their e-commerce sites). By making TikTok a core part of your omnichannel strategy, you reinforce the customer journey at multiple touchpoints. Given that 69% of UK consumers have bought a product after seeing it on social media, you want to meet customers wherever they’re discovering – and increasingly, that’s on TikTok. So integrate inventory, unify messaging (while keeping TikTok’s style in mind), and consider TikTok trends in product development and marketing campaigns. Brands that fully embrace TikTok’s ecosystem – commerce, content, community – will be positioned to win in this new era of social shopping.

Bottom Line: TikTok’s social commerce boom is not a passing fad – it signals a fundamental shift in how consumers in the UK (and beyond) prefer to shop. The platform blends entertainment, community, and convenience in a way that drives both inspiration and instant purchases. For brands, TikTok offers a unique opportunity to build culture around their products and reach customers in a context where they are highly engaged. The stats and trends of 2025 make one thing clear: those brands that get TikTok right – that invest in authentic content, creator partnerships, and interactive shopping experiences – stand to reap significant rewards in awareness, sales, and loyalty. TikTok commerce is booming, and it’s primed to keep growing. The question for brands is, will you join the boom or miss out?