🔥 The next big shopping channel in the UK won't be a store. It'll be a creator
By Alex Rezvan · September 25, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
🔥 The next big shopping channel in the UK won't be a store. It'll be a creator people already trust.
And yes, a fire emoji at the start of a LinkedIn post. You're probably already blaming AI. Bear with me.
I spent the evening with the UK creator community at YouTube's event, and what struck me was the passion: for what they make, for the communities they've built, and for what YouTube Shopping is opening up for them.
For retailers, that deserves attention. These creators have spent years earning their audiences' trust, and making it easier to shop their recommendations has real commercial potential. Expedia & Boots both shared on stage how it's using YouTube to reach audiences and grow, and hearing that commercial ambition alongside the creators' enthusiasm made for quite an evening.
Thank you to Sophie Neary, Ben Jeffries(that's us in the crowd helicopter shot), the fabulous Jade Beason for her wisdom, and Charlotte Lock for sharing your perspectives.
From Google and IMA to the creators and Boots, there was plenty to get into.
A special thank you to Jo Ogunleye from Google for bringing it together and making it possible for The Retail Podcast Network to be there and report.
We'll start sharing the interviews next week, so keep watching this space.
As the kids say, it was totally lit. 🔥