MikMak recently released the 2024 Status Report on Social Commerce in Europe, analyzing the current development of social commerce in the European market, with a focus on market overview and the beauty, personal care, and grocery categories.

1. Overview of Social Commerce in Europe

According to the research, Europe lags slightly behind other regions in social commerce, with only 26% of social media users participating in shopping activities on social media platforms. In comparison, North America and the Asia-Pacific region have participation rates of 39% and 30%, respectively. Despite the slower pace, the social commerce market in Europe continues to grow, offering significant potential for future development.

Since 2021, the steady growth in the number of social commerce users in Europe indicates a gradual shift in consumer behavior toward this trend. In 2023, Europe’s social commerce revenue reached $26.7 billion, and it is expected to grow to $48.3 billion by 2028.

Currently, the UK leads Europe in social commerce revenue, followed by Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. The UK also has the highest number of users, with Spain, Germany, and France close behind. Notably, Spain is the fastest-growing European country in terms of user numbers, and it is projected to surpass the UK by 2027 to become the global leader.

Overall, the European market is characterized by a combination of diverse legal, cultural, and linguistic factors. The varying retail systems across countries and strict data protection laws make Europe a challenging market for global brands. As a result, a one-size-fits-all strategy is not suitable for all regions of Europe. Brands must remain flexible and adapt their strategies to different countries to achieve success.

2. Performance of Social Media Platforms

2.1 TikTok Leads in Usage Time, Meta Dominates in User Numbers

Data shows that TikTok is the most time-consuming social media platform for users in the UK, France, and Spain. UK users spend an average of 49 hours and 29 minutes per month on TikTok, followed by French users at 38 hours and 38 minutes, and Spanish users at 33 hours and 5 minutes. Additionally, YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram are popular in the UK and France, while WhatsApp has overtaken Snapchat in Spain to rank among the top five most-used social media platforms.

Despite TikTok’s lead in usage time, Meta covers a larger internet user base. In the UK, 40% of internet users aged 16 to 64 use TikTok, while Facebook and Instagram have user shares of 73% and 59.7%, respectively. Similarly, in France, TikTok’s user share is 39.7%, while Facebook and Instagram account for 72.3% and 60.3%, respectively. In Spain, TikTok users make up 51.2%, with Instagram at 76.9% and Facebook at 69.7%.

2.2 Meta Dominates Multichannel Brand Social Commerce Traffic

MikMak’s Shopping Index indicates that from April 2023 to April 2024, Meta’s platforms, Facebook and Instagram, dominated multichannel brand social commerce traffic in the UK, France, and Spain. Both platforms ranked among the top three in purchase intent click share in these countries, a metric that measures the shopper traffic directed to retailers through shoppable content on social media platforms.

Specifically, Instagram led in the UK and Spain, with shares of 48.5% and 40.7%, respectively. In France, Facebook led with a 46.3% share. YouTube (24.7%) ranked second in Spain, ahead of Facebook (17.4%), becoming one of the top three platforms driving social commerce in Spain. In the UK and France, TikTok emerged as Meta’s main competitor.

3. Category Performance

3.1 TikTok Shines in the UK Beauty Sector, While Meta Dominates in France and Spain

In the UK, TikTok accounts for the highest share of purchase intent clicks for beauty brands. Among the top three beauty retailers in the UK (ranked by purchase intent click share), TikTok ranks first in driving traffic to Boots and Superdrug. In contrast, Amazon generates the most engagement from Facebook.

In France, Facebook is the main source of social commerce traffic, topping the list for the three major beauty retailers: Amazon, Nocibé, and Intermarché. Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube perform similarly, with fierce competition for second and third places.

Instagram currently leads in Spain, driving the most shopping traffic for Amazon, Primor, and Druni. Facebook follows closely, while TikTok ranks third. Interestingly, YouTube did not make the top three platforms in the beauty sector in Spain, which contrasts with its overall platform usage in the country.

3.2 Snapchat and YouTube Gaining Importance in the Personal Care Sector

Overall, Meta holds the largest share of social commerce traffic in the personal care sector, though there are differences across the three countries. In the UK, 88% of purchase intent clicks come from Facebook, followed by TikTok (7.9%) and Instagram (1.9%). In France, Facebook (49.1%) and Instagram (44.2%) have relatively balanced shares. YouTube (28.6%) ranks second in Spain, just behind Instagram (35.1%).

Examining the impact on specific personal care retailers, Snapchat has risen to the top spot for Superdrug in the UK and ranks third for Boots. TikTok and Facebook are also prominent among the top three retailers in the UK. Meanwhile, Facebook leads in the top three retailers in France, while Instagram is the dominant platform in Spain.

3.3 Meta Leads Social Commerce Traffic in the Grocery Sector

This year, Meta’s platforms have driven the most shopper traffic for grocery retailers. In Spain, Facebook and Instagram combined account for over 60% of purchase intent clicks, and in the UK and France, they account for over 90%.

Although YouTube and TikTok hold smaller shares, their significance should not be overlooked. In France, YouTube has risen to second place for Intermarché and Carrefour, and third for Amazon. In Spain, YouTube ranks third for El Corte Inglés, Amazon, and Dia.

In the UK, TikTok is a strong competitor to Meta’s platforms, ranking third in purchase intent click share for Tesco, Asda, and Sainsbury’s.

4. Fluctuations in Purchase Intent Trends

The report notes that when examining social commerce performance across different countries by average purchase intent rate (the percentage of shoppers who clicked on at least one retailer), France (10%) has a slightly higher potential audience conversion rate compared to the UK (5%) and Spain (7%).

Overall, social commerce peaks during the year-end, spring, and early summer. Data shows that November and December 2023 had the highest average purchase intent rates in the UK, France, and Spain, coinciding with many brands’ year-end celebration campaigns that boosted user engagement.

In Spain, Q4 is clearly the best period for social commerce, followed by June and July. In the UK, besides December, May and April also saw positive social commerce purchase intent.

Interestingly, in France, spring and early summer showed more activity than the year-end. April and March had the highest purchase intent rates, with June following closely. These peaks are partially driven by Mother’s Day and Father’s Day campaigns, which are key moments for boosting social commerce sales for beauty and personal care brands.

Based on purchase intent click share, social commerce shopper traffic peaks at different times of the week in the UK, France, and Spain. In the UK, the beginning of the week is typically the most active, with Tuesday performing the best. In France, shopper traffic peaks toward the end of the workweek, especially on Friday. Meanwhile, Sunday and Saturday are the busiest days for social commerce in Spain, with Monday and Tuesday ranking last.

In terms of average purchase intent rate, the UK sees the highest purchase intent from Tuesday to Thursday. In France, consumer purchase intent peaks just before the weekend (Thursday and Friday). Tuesday is the top day for Spanish consumers, followed by Sunday and Saturday.

For brands and retailers, social media remains a cost-effective and high-performing growth channel. Comparing audiences across regions, platforms, and categories can help brands understand where consumers are most likely to engage, thereby enabling them to increase conversion rates through advertising and other marketing strategies.

In conclusion, as the European Social Commerce Trends 2024 continue to evolve, businesses that adapt to the shifting landscape of social media commerce in Europe will be well-positioned for success.

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