50% drop out: what can retailers do to combat subscription fatigue?

Are people getting tired of subscriptions like HelloFresh meal kits and Lookfantastic beauty boxes? New research shows the market is cooling off, but what does that mean for retailers?

“The painful correction”

According to SubSummit’s State of the Subscription Box Industry 2026 report, the sector is still growing by 12.6%, but this represents a clear slowdown compared to the 15.4% growth in 2025. “The industry is at a tipping point,” the authors state. SubSummit calls the current phase ‘a tipping point’ for the sector. “After a decade of euphoric growth,” the report states, “the painful correction” is now following.