Subscription box market booming in London and Wales

People living in London and Wales are driving the growth of the UK’s subscription box market, according to a report commissioned by Royal Mail.

Over half (50.7 %) of Londoners are signed up to at least one subscription box service. Welsh residents are signed up to the most subscription box services, an average of 4.3 per person.

People living in the North East of England are also driving the growth of the market. Over a third (34.7 %) of residents in the North East are signed up to a subscription box. People living in the North East are also signed up to an average of 3.8 boxes per person.

Recipe box services are Londoners most popular subscription box with 20 % signed up to one. Beauty boxes are the favourite for those in East Anglia and snacks and sweets for the South West and South East. Those living in East Midlands are most likely to order a DVD subscription box service.

Yorkshire & Humberside tops the self-gifting list

Almost all (98 %) of those signed up to a subscription box service in Yorkshire & Humberside have purchased it for themselves, compared to only 78 % of those in Wales. In London, 95 % buy the subscription box service for themselves.

Those living in Northern Ireland are most likely to buy subscription boxes as a gift for someone else (55 %). Residents from Wales are most likely (36.4 %) to receive a subscription box service as a gift.

A spokesperson from Royal Mail said “The latest instalment from our subscription box report details the regional differences in how consumers use such services across the UK. With London, Wales and the North East driving growth, it will be interesting to see the uptake in other regions across the UK over the coming years as the subscription box market grows. We’re here to help subscription businesses along the way, wherever they are in the UK.

“With the UK’s biggest by far “Feet on the Street” network covering 90,000 postmen and women, Royal Mail is playing a key role in keeping carbon emissions low. The vast majority of subscription items are letterboxable and so are ideally suited for foot delivery by Royal Mail and do not require a van delivery.”

This is the second instalment of Royal Mail’s subscription box series, with a full report set to launch later in the year.