The Direct Selling Association (DSA), the UK trade body for direct-to-consumer retail, has announced that direct selling trailblazer brand Ann Summers has joined the Association, in a move which signals the company’s focus on its direct sales channel.
Existing DSA members include AVON, The Body Shop at Home and Usborne Community Partnerships, and the value of the UK direct selling channel is estimated to be £1 billion per annum, with around half a million people working as independent sales representatives. A recent report from the DSA outlined a 36% increase in the number of people joining direct selling brands in Q1 of 2023.
Susannah Schofield OBE, director general of the Direct Selling Association, comments: “Today’s announcement is the culmination of several years of dialogue between both organisations, and I am absolutely delighted that our relationship has been formalised in this way. I look forward to working with Maria and the team as we progress through the membership onboarding process.
“Ann Summers is quite simply one of the most iconic and disruptive direct selling brands in the world, and this signifies an important moment for the industry.
“We anticipate significant growth in the direct selling channel over the coming months as more people seek to earn additional income.”
Maria Hollins, Ann Summers CEO, comments: “This is an important step in our journey to grow and protect our direct selling channel, which was forged by Jacqueline Gold CBE more than 45 years ago and continues to be an important route to market for Ann Summers.
“The DSA has shown exceptional leadership in the direct selling industry over recent years, and its ethos and approach in demanding the very highest standards of conduct by its members aligns closely with our own values. As we re-focus and grow our direct selling channel over the coming months and years, we look forward to partnering with the DSA and its members to ensure we remain at the forefront of the industry moving forwards.”
Ann Summers is famous for empowering women both ‘in the bedroom and the boardroom’ both with its lingerie and sex toy products, and its offer to allow women to earn additional income on their terms by becoming Independent Brand Ambassadors.
Ann Summers joins the DSA as a Prospective Member whilst the Full Membership audit process is carried out. For more information on the DSA’s Codes of Conduct, please visit: https://dsa.org.uk/dsa-codes-3/.
