YouTube has announced the launch of its Shopping Affiliate Programme in the UK, “creating an ecosystem where creators, retailers and viewers connect seamlessly”.
It’s rolling out in the next few weeks and is claimed to offer “a powerful new avenue for creators to scale their businesses, enable brands and retailers to build meaningful connections with engaged audiences, and provide viewers with an enjoyable shopping experience”.
YouTube is owned by Alphabet, which also owns search giant Google, and it said it already has major partners on board that include Debenhams, M&S, Boots, Etsy, Next and Wayfair.
The aim is to gradually expand its retail network over the coming months, supported by affiliate platform partner Awin.
To support the launch in the UK, YouTube is rolling out new tools and expanding the offering, including “using AI to do the heavy lifting, like auto-tagging products shown in videos”; partnering with the world’s largest catalogues to bring more products to the platform; easing the eligibility criteria to allow creators with at least 500 subscribers to join; and expanding where people can shop on YouTube, including bringing the experience to the TV.
While many think of YouTube simply as a place to view videos, the company said it “isn’t just where people see a brand, it’s where they decide to buy. It’s where the search for something new becomes the story that sells it. Shopping is in YouTube’s DNA. Creators started with shopping haul videos and unboxings, ‘get ready with me’ videos, and DIY tutorials, and have become trusted advisors, helping millions shop with confidence”.
It’s part of a wider trend that increasingly sees consumers globally shopping via their preferred social media channels, such as Instagram and TikTok, and which also sees more traditional retailers introducing elements of the social shopping process to their own websites.
Meanwhile YouTube said at the core of this expansion is its “commitment to helping creators build sustainable, diversified businesses”.
And it cited some impressive figures to back up its move, saying that this “creator-led shopping culture is happening at an incredible scale”. We’re told that globally, viewers watch an average of 110 million hours of shopping videos on the platform daily.
And the UK saw 50% growth in watch-time of shopping-related content in 2025.
YouTube is clearly well positioned to maximise this as a global Kantar survey confirmed that it “remains the #1 most trusted platform for creator content about products”.
The results so far from around the world suggest UK creators could potentially reap rich rewards with the company saying that when creators tag products directly in their videos, it can lead to up to 50% more clicks than links in the description alone.
YouTube also enlisted various UK creators to help publicise the move. Creator Tim Dessaint said his “community asks me about the items I wear all the time, so this gives me a way to share my honest recommendations in a way that feels organic, not disruptive to the viewer experience”.
And retailers seem keen too. Debenhams Group CEO Dan Finley said that “the rise of content creators has fundamentally changed the way people shop. Customers are increasingly turning to creators they trust for product recommendations, and they want to be able to buy the moment inspiration strikes”.
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