US brands need to start putting their plans into action for UK growth, and the time to do it, is NOW.

A weak pound, strength in retail activity, and a huge appetite for beauty makes the UK the number-one spot for expansion for 2018.

With thanks to uncertainty over Brexit, the pound is weak against the dollar, making it even more affordable than ever for US brands to set up in the UK. Some companies are choosing to open their own UK offices. After almost a decade trading from the USA, Malin + Goetz opened a UK office earlier this year. Co-founder Andrew Goetz explains, “We are able to better understand regional and local differences and respond quickly to store orders being placed.”

Others are experiencing success whilst still operating from the USA and employing a strong UK retail sales team being managed locally. “The nuances of the market are such that we rely on our team ‘on the ground’ to really bolster brand understanding and sales,” explains Lisa Goldfaden, VP of Marketing at Goldfaden MD. Additionally, she explains, “The spending power of the UK consumer on American-made brands is on fire. We have experienced double-digit growth throughout the UK as well as internationally within the past 18months. The strength of the consumer interest in American brands is at an all-time high.”

Being a London-based beauty PR specialist, we have worked with numerous American brands at Pure Public Relations over nearly two decades, including Perricone MD, Burt’s Bees, and Yes To. American brands currently take up over half our portfolio, and we love working with them. Whilst others look to Korea or Japan for flash-in-the-pan beauty trends, we look to the USA for brands delivering beauty with intelligence, knowledge, and the out-and-out capability to develop and grow in the UK market.

The views expressed in opinion pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of BeautyMatter.