iWorld
BBC backs down on podcast ads, AudioUK expresses concern
MUMBAI: The BBC has made a U-turn on plans to plaster ads around its licence fee-funded podcasts, after a right old public controversy. The broadcaster’s annual plan for 2025-26 confirmed that it had ruled out the idea, following a barrage of feedback.
“We have listened to feedback and having considered the options carefully, we have decided to rule out placing adverts around BBC licence-fee funded programmes on third party podcast platforms in the UK,” the BBC stated, effectively slamming the door on the ad plans.
AudioUK, the trade body representing independent podcast and audio producers, welcomed the decision, but they’re still keeping a beady eye on BBC Studios’ commercial activities. They’re worried that the BBC’s commercial arm, with its “powerful” presence, could disrupt the fledgling UK podcast market.
“We remain concerned about the BBC’s entry into the UK podcast advertising market through content produced by the BBC Studios,” AudioUK said in a statement. “The potential disruption caused by such a large player entering the space without full consideration of its impact on these businesses is troubling.”
AudioUK CEO Chloe Straw called for “greater engagement” from BBC Studios, urging it to “support, rather than disrupt” the developing podcast ecosystem. She’s keen to see the Beeb join the “vibrant, collaborative space” that independent producers have built.
“Whilst the UK podcasting industry is thriving and growing rapidly, it remains relatively young and has been largely built and driven by the creativity, innovation and investment of over 200 SMEs, many of them regional and diverse,” Straw said.
AudioUK is also keen to see “greater transparency and research” from the BBC on how it intends to grow the market, alongside the many other organisations and businesses already working to attract advertising investment.
e-commerce
Tier 3 cities drive Valentine’s e-commerce demand, says Fynd report
Personal care jumps to no 2 category as Sunday shopping peaks
MUMBAI: Fynd has released its Valentine’s Day e-commerce report 2026, highlighting a sharp shift in how Indians shopped during the season of love, with self-gifting, tier 3 demand and trust-led purchasing reshaping online retail behaviour.
The analysis, based on data from major marketplaces including Myntra, Flipkart, Amazon, Tata Cliq, Ajio and Nykaa, shows Valentine’s commerce in 2026 moving away from grand gifting towards personal indulgence and regional expansion.
Tier 3 cities emerged as the strongest demand drivers, accounting for more than 54 per cent of total order volumes, outpacing metros and reinforcing the rapid mainstreaming of digital commerce across Bharat. Sunday proved to be the peak shopping day, signalling leisure-led browsing and last-minute purchasing behaviour rather than weekday-driven sales spikes.
Personal care was the breakout category of the season, climbing to second place with a 14.16 per cent share of orders, overtaking categories such as footwear and ethnic wear. Clothing retained the top spot at 17.06 per cent. Within personal care, Tata Cliq emerged as the preferred marketplace.
The report also points to a notable comeback for cash on delivery. While COD accounted for 55 per cent of overall orders during the Valentine’s period, nearly 70 per cent of personal care purchases used COD, reflecting higher trust thresholds for grooming and intimate categories.
Regionally, overall order volumes were led by north India, followed by west, south and east. Personal care demand, however, skewed differently, with west and east leading consumption. Bihar entered the top five ordering states, underlining the growing spending power of emerging markets.
Fulfilment patterns also diverged from recent omnichannel trends. Store-led fulfilment fell sharply during the Valentine’s window, with just 6.5 per cent of personal care orders dispatched from stores, as brands leaned heavily on warehouse networks to manage speed and inventory control.
Fynd chief business officer – India Ragini Varma, said the data reflects a shift from occasion-led gifting to personal expression-led shopping, requiring category-specific intelligence and real-time inventory orchestration rather than one-size-fits-all festive strategies.
