According to analysis from Whistl, 82% of UK households receive subscription box services, a 17% rise from the previous year.
In 2021, only 65% UK households received subscription box services. The subscription market was valued at £395m (US$536m) in 2021 versus £332m (US$446m) in 2020, a 23% year-on-year increase and set to be worth £1.8bn (US$2.4bn) by 2025. The average monthly spend of households on subscription boxes has risen to £52 (US$70) driven by higher-value products and multiple subscriptions.
A positive trend is a rise in the length of time that customers are using a service, which has increased from 5.6 months in 2017 to nine months. As a result, companies across all industries are making subscriptions a part of their business strategy, with 67% of UK retailers planning to launch a new subscription service.
Whistl has found that the most important subscription boxes in 2021 are services around food (52%), shaving products (24%), clothing (22%), perfume and cosmetics (18%) as well as pets (14%). The company also established that the consumer motivations for signing up were primarily for exclusive content (57%), time saving (55%), good value (54%), convenience (40%) and tailored products (52%).
Melanie Darvall, director of marketing communications at Whistl, said, “Advancements in technology, exposure to social media and, in more recent years, the pandemic and lockdowns have together fueled the massive growth in the range of subscription services resulting in a surge of boxes landing on our doorsteps.
“When looking to scale your subscription business, it’s critical to ensure you are working with the most appropriate partners to suit your business model and long-term goals. At the Whistl Group, we offer a unique portfolio of solutions to support the end-to-end logistics process, helping with all aspects of the customer journey including the delivery management of orders, complete fulfillment solutions and even ongoing customer service.”
