- TikTok launches 'Shop Local', a new support scheme to help British SMBs sell more local produce to UK customers, fronted by farmer and TV presenter Jimmy Doherty
- New research finds 83% of Brits would buy more British products if they were more widely available
- TikTok Shop is investing £750,000 in support packages to help a selection of local British businesses set up and start selling on the platform
TikTok Shop SMBs
TikTok Shop has today announced the launch of Shop Local, a support scheme to help British small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) harvest demand for homegrown goods by using the platform to reach new audiences.
Fronted by farmer and conservationist Jimmy Doherty, the scheme will help British businesses producing local products find new customers and create new sales opportunities by utilising TikTok Shop's unique 'discovery commerce' model - where shoppers discover and buy products organically through engaging videos, live streams and creators without leaving the app.
The launch comes in response to research commissioned by TikTok Shop which reveals huge demand for British goods. 83% of people say they would be more likely to buy British produce if it was more widely available, and three in four (75%) say they prefer locally sourced products over imports¹.
Yet despite this appetite, many SMBs are struggling to keep pace. More than half (52%) say running a business is harder today than a year ago, with nearly a third (29%) citing difficulty attracting new customers as their biggest challenge¹.
TikTok Shop is already a powerful sales channel in the UK, with over 200,000 SMBs selling through the platform and more than 6,000 Shop Lives hosted daily². With demand for local products rising, TikTok Shop is investing further to help British businesses unlock growth. For SMBs, TikTok Shop provides a way to reach new customers nationwide - without the need for big budgets or large numbers of followers on TikTok. And for small businesses with high-quality British products, the For You Feed can be the ultimate shop window to go viral and drive sales.
Doherty, co-host of Jamie & Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast, will work alongside TikTok Shop to select five local British businesses who will each receive a dedicated support package worth over £150,000, including:
- Hands-on guidance from TikTok Shop experts to get started on the platform
- Mentorship for staff members on how to grow sales on TiKTok Shop
- Training on how to sell through TikTok Shop LIVE
- Subsidised marketing support to help promote their products
- Featured promotion across TikTok Shop to reach more customers
- Introductions to TikTok creators and help with getting orders to customers
- PR and marketing support from TikTok to promote their business off-platform
Jimmy's Farm Shop is now live on TikTok Shop (@jimmysfarmhq) receiving support from the platform and reaching new audiences ahead of the key Christmas trading period.
For SMBs, reaching wider audiences via online platforms is essential, with 84% saying it’s critical to their survival. Nearly seven in ten (67%) would consider using TikTok Shop to support their sales during the upcoming seasonal trading period¹.
Jimmy Doherty, of Jimmy's Farm said: “The Shop Local scheme is an incredible opportunity for small British businesses to take that next step into online sales with the support of TikTok Shop. For us at Jimmy’s Farm, it’s particularly exciting — our products are usually only available to buy here on the farm, so this marks our first real step into online selling.”
The five chosen SMBs will follow in the footsteps of existing TikTok Shop businesses like The Fat Butcher [meat seller], The Chuckling Cheese Company [snacks, dairy], Dough Girl [bakery and sweet desserts] and The Veg Box Company [veg seller] - and the wide variety of other small companies throughout the UK using TikTok Shop to sell to thousands of customers, with 8 in 10 based outside of London³.
Jan Wilk, Head of TikTok Shop UK, said: "We know that the current economic climate can be challenging for small British businesses, with many experiencing a mixed financial picture. But unlike other digital shopping platforms, TikTok Shop is based on discovery commerce.
'Smaller businesses don’t need huge followings or big budgets to be seen - if you have a great British product, the For You Feed is your place to shine and find viral success, with your products and businesses able to be discovered by millions. It can be a lifeline to some - and we think the Shop Local scheme, with the support of Jimmy and Jimmy's Farm, will help our British businesses find great success on TikTok Shop."
British businesses that focus on selling locally produced goods of all types are eligible to apply to the scheme. Whether they are a bakery, fishmonger or farmer - as long as they sell British goods, aren't currently trading on TikTok Shop and have less than 250 employees, they are eligible.
To enter, they simply need to create and share a TikTok video demonstrating their offering to their local community, which includes the #ShopLocalComp hashtag and tagging @TikTokShop_UK, between Tuesday, 14 October and Thursday, 13 November. Winners will be selected and contacted by 12 December for participation.
According to NielsenIQ, TikTok Shop was the fastest growing online retailer in 2024, with a 131% annual increase in the number of shoppers on TikTok Shop and a 180% year-on-year rise in revenue at the end of last year.
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Eligibility & Participation
By entering the Shop Local competition, businesses confirm they meet the eligibility criteria (UK-based, under 250 employees, not currently trading on TikTok Shop, and selling locally produced goods). By submitting an entry, participants also agree to take part in related PR and media opportunities to promote TikTok Shop, their business, and the wider support scheme.
¹ Research carried out online by Research Without Barriers, conducted between 24th September 2025 and 26th September 2025. The sample comprised 2,025 UK adults and 503 Senior Decision Makers in SMBs.
² Data from NielsenIQ.
³This relates to SMEs spending money on TikTok to promote their business or sell products.
TikTok Shop – Shop Local Support Scheme Competition Terms & Conditions
Last updated: [14.10.25]
These Terms & Conditions ("Terms") apply to the Shop Local Competition ("Competition") organised by TIKTOK INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES UK LIMITED, a company registered in England and Wales.
By entering the Competition, participants agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you should not enter the Competition.
Please note that these Terms are also subject to the EEA/UK/Switzerland: TikTok Terms of Service and any other applicable terms and policies that you have agreed to comply with from time to time (the "TikTok Terms"). In the event of any conflict between the TikTok Terms and these Terms, the TikTok Terms take precedence.
- Organiser
The Competition is organised by:
TIKTOK INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES UK LIMITED [Kaleidoscope, 4 Lindsey Street, London, United Kingdom, EC1A 9HP] [10165711]
- Eligibility
To be eligible to enter the Competition, businesses must:
- Be a registered UK company based in the United Kingdom;
- Have fewer than 250 employees;
- Not currently be trading on TikTok Shop’s platform; not having sold a product on TTS over the last 60 days
- Sell locally produced goods (products "Made in the UK", i.e., products manufactured or created within the UK or sourced from within the local community). Note, not 100% of products are required to be locally produced, however, a substantial volume (40%+) of products available for purchase must be locally produced.
- How to Enter
To enter the Competition, eligible businesses must:
- Create and upload one piece of original content in a post on TikTok showcasing their business, products, or local impact;
- Submit the content via the official entry page on TikTok Shop’s website or designated platform from the starting date/time and before the closing date/time (see clause 4 in this regard); and
- Use the hashtag #ShopLocalComp and tag @TikTokShop_UK in their content.
Note that no purchase or entry fee is required to take part in the Competition.
Content Guidelines:
All submitted content must:
- Be original and created specifically for this competition;
- Clearly highlight the locally produced goods offered by the business;
- Reflect the business’s identity, values, and community connection;
- Not use of copyrighted music, images, or branding unless the business owns or has permission to use them;
- Not contain any content that is inflammatory, offensive, discriminatory, misleading, or otherwise violates TikTok Shop’s values or policies.
- Not contain TikTok/TikTok Shop brands, logos or proprietary materials.
Only one entry per business is submitted. Additional or duplicate entries will not be accepted.
- Selection & Judging
- All eligible entries will be reviewed by a panel selected by TikTok Shop.
- Five (5) winners will be chosen based on criteria determined by TikTok Shop, which may include:the business's story, community impact, product uniqueness, andalignment with the goals of the Competition.
- The decision of the judging panel is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
- Entries will be open from 00:00 on Tuesday 14/10/2025 to 23:59 on Thursday 13/11/25. Winners will be notified on Saturday 12/12/25 via direct message from @TikTokShop_UK.
- Prize Package
- Details of the prize will be outlined in the promotional materials associated with the Competition.
- The prize are final and non-transferable, non-refundable, and cannot be exchanged for cash or other alternatives.
- TikTok Shop reserves the right to substitute the prize with another of equivalent value if circumstances beyond its control make it necessary to do so.
- Publicity & Promotion
By entering the Competition, participants agree to:
- Take part in related PR, marketing and media activities organised by TikTok Shop and its third-party agency partners;
- Allow TikTok Shop to use their business name, images, and submitted content for promotional purposes, including but not limited to social media, website features, press releases, and advertising; and
- Represent their business and the Competition in a positive and professional manner in all promotional activities.
No additional compensation will be provided for participation in promotional activities.
- Data Protection
- Personal and business information submitted during the entry process will be used solely for the purposes of administering the Competition and related promotional activities, in accordance with TikTok’s Privacy Policy.
- Disqualification
TikTok Shop reserves the right to disqualify any entry or participant that:
- Provides false, misleading or incomplete information;
- Breaches these Terms, the TikTok Terms or any other applicable laws or regulations;
- Engages in any behaviour that may bring TikTok Shop, its partners, or the Competition into disrepute;
- Submits or is associated with content that is anti-social, inflammatory, offensive, discriminatory, harassing, or degrading in nature or contrary to the TikTok Terms or any applicable policy;
- Uses language or imagery that promotes hate, violence, or any form of unlawful or harmful conduct; and/or
- Fails to comply with the spirit and intention of the Competition, including fair participation and honest representation.
To the extent permitted under applicable laws, TikTok Shop reserves the right to take any action it deems necessary, including reporting serious breaches to the relevant authorities, where inappropriate behaviour or content is identified.
TikTok may also: (i) stop you from participating in the Competition and in any future promotional activities, promotions or competitions; and/or (ii) suspend or terminate your account. Should you have any complaint(s) in relation to a decision made by TikTok pursuant to this clause, we refer you to TikTok's complaints handling process detailed in section 24.5 of the UK: SELLER TERMS OF SERVICE FOR TIKTOK SHOP.
- Changes to the Competition
TikTok Shop reserves the right to:
- Cancel, suspend, or modify the Competition at any time for legal, operational, or technical reasons; and/or
- Amend these Terms where necessary. Any updates will be made available on the official Competition entry page and will take effect immediately.
- Warranties and Limitation of Liability
By participating in this Competition and uploading content related to the Competition, each participant represents and warrants that:
- All content submitted is the original work of the seller and has not been copied, plagiarized, or reproduced from any third-party source;
- The seller owns or has the necessary rights, licenses, and permissions to use and submit the content, and such submission does not infringe upon or violate any intellectual property rights, moral rights, privacy rights, or any other rights of any third party.The submitted content accurately represents the locally produced goods and complies with all applicable local, national, and international laws and regulations, including but not limited to consumer protection, advertising, and e-commerce laws.The content is not false, deceptive, or misleading in any way and does not contain any unauthorized claims about the product’s origin, quality, or attributes; and
The seller agrees to indemnify and hold harmless TikTok Shop, its affiliates, partners, and representatives from any claims, losses, liabilities, damages, or expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or related to any breach of this warranty clause or any third-party claim regarding the submitted content.
To the extent permitted by law, TikTok Shop shall not be liable for any:
- Losses, damages or disappointment suffered as a result of entering the Competition or accepting any prize;
- Technical failures or issues beyond its control, including lost, delayed, or incomplete entries.
Nothing in these Terms excludes liability for fraud, death, or personal injury caused by negligence, or any other liability which cannot be excluded by law.
- Governing Law
These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales, and any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England.
- Contact
For any questions or further information regarding the Shop Local Competition, please contact:
tiktokshop@ready10.media Subject line: “Shop Local Competition Enquiry”