Talking Brands: How could licensing help give the UK high street a boost?

Steve Manser,
Head of Sales and Marketing, DCUK
The UK high street doesn’t need more things to sell. It needs more reasons to smile.

Licensing can help by encouraging people to feel proud of where they live again. When people recognise themselves, their town or their heritage in a product or event, they feel a real sense of belonging and familiarity. If licensed products and campaigns are included in this context, we could expect higher levels of interest and sales as a result.

The high street’s strength has always been its sense of locality. We’re talking about familiar shopfronts, regular customers, shared memories and genuine human contact. Licensing can build on this by giving national brands regional relevance.

One idea could be to create local edition ranges, similar to regionalised advertising and print campaigns that I know are successful. Stockists can offer small run versions of licensed products or characters adapted to reflect an area’s pride, local sayings or distinctive landmarks. Community collaboration is another practical step. It only needs joined-up thinking and good timing. Licensed events or ranges could be timed to launch in synch with already planned town festivals, museum exhibitions, anniversaries, or local causes.

Imagine a Bluey play trail in local parks and high streets, with family-run cafes hosting coffee mornings with branded giveaway items – or even shop window stickers to show participation – tied into a collaborative launch. Perhaps Wallace and Gromit characters could tie in with regional ‘Fix-It Fairs’ that celebrates repair culture and local craftspeople – especially when a new range is also launched at the same time. That would create awareness and positivity in equal measure.

An FMCG brand and licensed property could team up to create a variant SKU with packaging and ads that features localised phrases or incorporates a recognisable landmark or event to resonate locally.
These types of small, real-world ideas could be exactly what the UK high street needs. They feel alive, relevant, engaging and, importantly, memorable and worth showing up for. All brands – licensed or otherwise – would surely love to have these positive associations as a springboard for their larger, and more conventional promotional activity and sales.

If the licensing community considered how to celebrate and align with the places where people live, the high street could regain both footfall and affection.

Helen Lynch,
Retail Consultant & Executive Coach
If there’s one thing I believe the brand licensing industry could do to give the UK high street a real boost right now, it would be to lead the growth of wellness and self-care experiences through innovative, experience-led licensing partnerships.

From everything I’ve seen and read across the sector, it seems that the high street’s recovery is strongest in city and destination locations where shopping is combined with experience, connection and a sense of wellbeing. Reports from the British Retail Consortium and Funding Circle both point to high streets that have a strong mix of service, hospitality and lifestyle-led offers – including health, beauty and wellness – as recovering fastest, while traditional retail-only towns continue to struggle with vacancy and footfall decline.

While health, beauty and wellness aren’t the only drivers of recovery, they are becoming a powerful part of it because they deliver something deeper than a transaction. They bring people back regularly, create emotional engagement and tap into the growing desire for self-care, social connection and purpose-led experiences.

“Licensing can give national brands regional relevance.”

Consumers are no longer just shopping for products – they’re seeking out ways to feel better, live better and belong.
That’s where brand licensing has such exciting potential. By connecting trusted, wellbeing-focused brands with retailers and local high streets, we can create destination experiences that genuinely uplift.

Examples could be pop-up wellbeing studios or lifestyle corners within stores that blend retail with relaxation… Branded coffee collaborations that promote mindful moments, beauty and nail bars that champion sustainable, refillable products… Or local charity and community partnerships that combine purpose with experience, such as preloved fashion events, repair cafés or co-hosted wellbeing workshops.

For me, this is where licensing can truly evolve, bringing brands to life through experiences that blend commerce with care. Done well, it can boost footfall, loyalty and local vitality while driving meaningful growth for both brands and retailers, helping the UK high street thrive again.

Corinne Duckworth,
Commerical Executive, Dreamtex
As we’re nearing the busiest time of year for the high street, I think there’s a huge opportunity to entertain shoppers while promoting consumer products. For example, in-store visits from characters are just one of the ways retailers can boost footfall with the perfect ‘photo op.’ This brings products to life and encourages purchasing.

Retailers can also entertain shoppers with special store launches. From my retail experience, we used to have a database of customers that we would invite for small launch nights as a thank you for being a valued customer. There would be limited stock and exclusive access just for them, which made them feel special and encouraged spending.

“The focus needs to be on empowering independent retailers through exclusive, purpose-driven licensed collections.”

Another simpler way is to create interesting point of sales in stores. One way we do this for our customers is by creating free standing units to display our product on aisle ends, making our product more ‘grabbable’ for the shopper. It helps the goods stand out next to a shelf and, more often than not, they harness pester power from our direct consumer – the kids!

At this time of year, there are so many interesting merchandising opportunities. Fortum & Mason is one of the best at this. They turn their store into a tourist attraction every Christmas which not only brings in new customers, but pushes their brand via earned media from passers-by who take a quick picture and share to their socials. Perhaps there’s a licensing collaboration opportunity here? That would be amazing!

Gemma Sault,
MD, The Giftware Association
Licensing has the power to transform the high street through thoughtful, exclusive partnerships that put independent retailers at the heart of the story. Focus needs to be on empowering independent gift and lifestyle retailers through exclusive, purpose-driven licensed collections.

The big opportunity lies in creating products that celebrate British heritage, local culture and sustainability values that resonate deeply with today’s consumers. With opportunities to create limited edition ranges, which in turn will drive footfall, but give retailers a unique story to sell.

“Consumers are no longer just shopping for products – they’re seeking out ways to feel better, live better and belong.”

Ideally looking at lower minimum order quantities, flexible terms and a willingness to co-create with smaller businesses – it will take some tactical sourcing to manage profitability to meet these demands. Independent retailers are agile, creative and deeply connected to their communities. By giving them access to compelling licensed products – whether it’s stationery, homeware or lifestyle gifts – the industry can help them stand out in a crowded market.

We also need to spotlight these initiatives at trade shows where licensors and retailers can meet, collaborate and launch new ideas. Licensing shouldn’t be reserved for the big players – it should be a tool for revitalising the high street, celebrating local identity and supporting the businesses that make our towns and cities vibrant.

Rosie Taylor & Chantal Lavender,
Co-Founders, March Collective
The licensing industry has a real opportunity to give the UK high street a lift by leaning into experiential retail and destination shopping. With people watching their spending and less able to travel to big attractions, it’s the perfect time to bring the joy directly to them.

Creating in-store moments that feel immersive and character-led can spark the excitement and connection shoppers are craving, while also reminding people why they love these brands in the first place. When it’s paired with great, engaging products, it becomes an experience that feels personal and memorable.

We’re already seeing this done really well at both premium and high street levels. Jellycat’s Selfridges Fish ‘n’ Chip Shop pop-up created such a buzz and extra love for the brand, while Primark continues to lead the way with retail activations such as Stranger Things Oxford Street and their themed cafés. It’s these kinds of creative, joyful ideas that make shopping feel special again.

Licensed characters and properties have always been rooted in nostalgia and joy, and that sense of fun and familiarity is what our high streets need most!