Analysis of the UK beauty market by ecommerce optimisation specialists MediaVision found that Boots has emerged as the clear leader in the UK beauty market, as new findings reveal a significant gap between the high-street retailer and its closest competitors.
The figures, which measure the proportion of searches attracted by leading beauty brands and retailers, show that Boots accounts for 32% share of brand search, significantly ahead of Superdrug at 12%. The gap widens further across the rest of the market, with Sephora ranking third at 3%, followed by Lookfantastic, Space NK, and Charlotte Tilbury, respectively.
Together, the rankings point to a highly concentrated beauty landscape, with Boots and Superdrug attracting significantly more consumer attention than the retailers that follow.
Boots lead extends well beyond high-street
Boots’ position is particularly notable in an increasingly fragmented beauty market, where brands are competing for consumer attention across search, social media, entertainment and retail. Despite this growing competition, the findings suggest large multi-category retailers continue to command significant levels of consumer demand, with Boots maintaining a considerable lead.
The retailer has also expanded its presence beyond the traditional high-street, positioning itself at the center of beauty culture through entertainment partnerships, creator content, and consumer-facing campaigns. From its Love Island partnership and creator-led ‘shop with me’ content to campaigns such as ‘Dan Won’t Burn’, Boots has continued to find new ways to engage shoppers across different channels.
Katie Gloyne, SEO Manager at MediaVision, comments: “The retail landscape is increasingly competitive. The brands maintaining the biggest share of search are those that build sustained consumer awareness through distinctive retail experiences, product innovation, and credible partnerships with search data to anticipate demand and sustain consumer visibility across multiple channels. In beauty, the strongest performers are not just capturing demand; they are leading the conversations.”
Convenience and choice continue to drive beauty shoppers
With more brands and products to choose from than ever, beauty shoppers are increasingly option-rich but time-poor, making convenience an important part of the shopping experience. The dominance of Boots and Superdrug suggests consumers continue to value retailers that make it easier to browse different brands, categories, and price points in one place.
For Boots, this is reflected in an evolving beauty offering of more than 500 brands, giving shoppers access to both affordable and premium products in one place. Its Advantage Card data also provides insight into changing customer interests, allowing the retailer to deliver more relevant and personalised promotions alongside its extensive product range.
Superdrug’s position as Boots’ closest competitor reinforces the continued appeal of this model. The retailer similarly combines established beauty brands with affordable own-brand ranges across skincare, cosmetics and haircare, while initiatives such as Superdrug Presents bring brands, product discovery, masterclasses and beauty experiences together beyond the shop floor.
Together, their performance suggests that value, convenience, and breadth of choice remain important to UK beauty shoppers, even as the wider market becomes increasingly crowded with specialist and emerging brands.
Louis Venter, founder & CEO at MediaVision, comments: “The UK beauty sector is evolving rapidly, and the brands that understand where consumer demand is moving are best positioned to capture future growth.
“Established awareness remains an advantage, but the brands responding fastest to changing consumer interests will increasingly be the ones winning attention.”
