UK health shoppers distrust aggressive digital upselling

Pomegranate has published research suggesting many UK consumer-health users are put off by aggressive digital upselling from health brands, pointing to a trust problem in online health-related sales journeys.

Among digitally active UK consumer-health users aged 18 to 44, 79.3% become more sceptical when a health brand aggressively upsells, the behavioural experience agency found. It also found that 51.6% think sales-led recommendations make personalisation feel intrusive, while 49.5% said businesses were using data they did not realise they had shared.

The findings highlight a tension for companies selling products and services linked to wellbeing, symptoms, prevention and self-care. Techniques common in online retail, such as upsell prompts, bundled offers, subscription prompts and automated recommendations, appear to be received differently when customers are seeking health support.

The commercial stakes are also clear: 85.6% of respondents said they would pay more for a brand whose reputation they trust.

Trust and selling

The results suggest design choices in digital consumer-health journeys can shape whether users see recommendations as support or pressure. In health settings, that distinction may matter more because customers are often making decisions related to their wellbeing rather than discretionary purchases.

That creates a challenge for digital-health and wellness brands trying to balance conversion targets with user confidence. The research argues that recommendation tools and promotional prompts need to match immediate user needs and clearly explain why a suggestion is being made.

Duncan Thomas, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Pomegranate, outlined that view in comments accompanying the research. "Consumer-health brands have to sell, but health changes how selling is interpreted. In a standard retail journey, prompts and recommendations can feel like normal conversion tools. In a health journey, those same mechanics can feel like pressure when the customer cannot see how they support their wellbeing," he said.

He linked that response to the way users judge both personalisation and promotion in health contexts. "That difference also shapes how people respond to personalisation and promotion. People can welcome both when the relevance is clear and the experience supports the health decision they are trying to make. When a recommendation looks like a sales tactic, people start to question whose interests are being served," Thomas said.

Data concerns

The survey also points to unease over data use in health-related digital services. Nearly half of respondents said they were concerned by companies using information they did not know they had shared, suggesting transparency over data collection and use remains a sensitive issue in this part of the market.

That concern sits alongside wider scrutiny of how health, wellness and consumer-facing digital platforms present evidence, personalise services and retain users. Pomegranate said its broader analysis of trust in consumer-health experiences covers privacy, evidence, retention, artificial intelligence and digital experience.

The agency argued that brands should avoid excessive urgency and leave room for reassurance, evidence and support in the user journey. It said recommendations should help customers make decisions rather than simply push them towards extra purchases or recurring commitments.

While the findings come from users aged 18 to 44 recruited through a paid panel, they add to a wider debate over how health-related businesses market directly to consumers online. As more products and services move through app-based and digital channels, questions around trust, consent and the tone of commercial interactions are becoming more central to the user experience.

Thomas said the research challenged assumptions that familiar retail methods can be transferred easily into health settings. "The findings have thrown up some real surprises. These results should now act as a wake-up call for brands that have underestimated how quickly consumer behaviour and expectations are changing. Many brands have been assuming that familiar retail tactics transfer neatly into health, but in truth, a generic upsell can feel intrusive when someone is looking for help with their wellbeing. Each prompt has to earn its place by helping the customer make a confident decision. Push the next product, bundle or subscription too hard and trust can disappear," he said.