The £1.7 Billion Verdict: Why UK Retail & Telco Leaders Can No Longer Ignore a £16 ROI from Affiliate marketing

In a marketing landscape demanding proof of performance, the UK affiliate and partner marketing channel has delivered exceptional results. Data from the Affiliate & Partner Marketing Association (APMA) confirms UK brands invested a record £1.7 billion, with the channel generating an average ROI of £16 for every £1 spent (Source: APMA State of the Affiliate Nation Report, 2025).

This level of financial accountability is positioning the channel as a core, non-negotiable strategy for leaders across the UK’s largest sectors, Retail and Telecommunications (Telco).

Retail: Diversifying Growth Beyond Discounts

Retail accounts for nearly 50% of the entire UK affiliate budget. For retailers facing margin pressures, the Affiliate & Partner Marketing channel is crucial for driving incremental revenue, tracking approximately one in every ten pounds spent online.

The channel is rapidly evolving beyond pure discount tactics:

1. Upper-Funnel Value

High quality Content Publishers and Influencers are now essential for early stage discovery and brand affinity. They build trust and drive high value traffic.

At Summit, we have also observed a 18% year on year increase in revenue driven by content partners for our major fashion and home retailers, reinforcing their upper funnel value.

2. Retention

Loyalty and Cashback partners remain key for driving high volume repeat purchases, rewarding existing customers without high upfront media costs.

3. The Retail Advantage

Perhaps the most critical advantage is the channel’s ability to act as an insurance policy against the volatility of organic search traffic.

• The Problem: Over 54% of UK searches now end without a click to an external website (Source: UK Zero-Click Analysis, 2025). Relying solely on Google for traffic is becoming a volatile strategy.
• The Solution: Affiliate partners ensure high-margin sales by rewarding only for specific outcomes such as new customer acquisition, rather than clicks that never convert.

Telco: Fixed-Cost Acquisition of High-Value Contracts

The Telco sector represents nearly 20% of the UK Affiliate & Partner Marketing channel spend. Given the high Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) of long-term contracts, Telco providers value the channel’s fixed cost model.

Financial Certainty in a Volatile Market

Guaranteeing a fixed Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) for a new contract removes the variable risk of other media buys. This provides financial certainty when acquiring customers who will be retained for multiple years.

Strategic Incentives

At Summit, we have also seen the rapid adoption of bespoke commission structures for Telco clients, demonstrating a clear focus on incentivising partners based on contract type and CLV, rather than just volume.

Comparison Power

Dedicated comparison sites like Uswitch and MoneySuperMarket simplify complex tariffs for consumers, capturing customers at the decisive moment in the purchasing cycle.

The Telco Advantage

The channel delivers a powerful mechanism for Risk Mitigation and High-CLV Acquisition. By rewarding partners only upon validated contract fulfilment, Telco brands gain quality control over customer sign-ups. Furthermore, the ability to enforce strict compliance guidelines through the network and instantly police brand bidding mitigates financial and reputational risk associated with contract promotion.

For UK Retail and Telco leaders, the data is unmistakeable. The Affiliate & Partner Marketing channel provides the strategic, scalable, and fully measurable engine required to secure profitable market growth in a competitive landscape.

Future-Proof Your Acquisition Strategy

Whether you’re a Retailer looking to diversify beyond discounts or a Telco provider focused on increasing CLV, Summit has the expertise and proprietary tools to scale your performance.

Stop guessing with your media budget. Speak to the Summit team today about building an accountable, high growth affiliate roadmap.