Primark & Next lead UK's Black Friday retail search race

Black Friday’s competitive retail landscape has highlighted clear digital winners. In fashion, Next led the sector with a 4.78 per cent share of brand search, supported by its well-balanced omnichannel model and resilient brand appeal, according to new data from MediaVision.

Primark delivered the strongest momentum, climbing 0.55 per cent year-on-year as demand for value-first fashion intensified in a cautious spending climate. TK Maxx and Sports Direct, while still major players, posted slight declines, whereas John Lewis experienced a sharper drop of 0.61 per cent, reflecting pressure on mid-to-premium department retail as consumers traded down.

In homeware, Argos dominated with a commanding 21.69 per cent share of brand search—the widest lead across all categories—and delivered robust growth of 2.35 per cent. The results underline the importance of convenience, stock depth and rapid fulfilment in this year’s Black Friday spend, MediaVision said in a release.

TK Maxx, John Lewis and Dunelm retained strong positions, though John Lewis again saw a mild decline. Home Bargains’ rise of 1.21 per cent indicates that discount-led homeware formats continue to resonate with shoppers seeking affordability.

Together, the results show that value, convenience and availability defined consumer behaviour over Black Friday, rewarding brands best positioned to meet the needs of a cost-conscious market. As tightening household budgets shaped purchase decisions, shoppers gravitated toward value-driven retailers across fashion and homeware.

"Black Friday 2025 proved one truth: speed and real-time intelligence win. We need to move past outdated metrics to deliver the commercial insight required to succeed and instead, use market share gains and digital authority as our ultimate measures of success," said Louis Venter, CEO.

"The proof is in the commercial return. Global leaders like Adidas have rigorously validated this metric, finding a clear, powerful correlation between growing their share of brand search visibility and achieving significant long-term revenue growth. This confirms that your investment in brand building (PR, ATL) and technical SEO is not just generating traffic but is genuinely shifting market demand away from your competitors," Venter added.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (HU)