VIOOH has partnered with Abode Media to add the residential digital out-of-home network to its programmatic marketplace, expanding its reach across premium housing locations in the UK.

Abode Media operates more than 250 screens in over 230 residential buildings across London, Manchester and Birmingham. The network delivers more than 60 million monthly impressions and focuses on interior screens in high-traffic areas of premium residential properties.

The agreement gives advertisers using VIOOH access to inventory in apartment and residential buildings, a part of the out-of-home market that remains less developed than traditional roadside, retail and transit formats. Positioned to reach residents as they leave home and return, the screens offer repeated exposure during daily routines.

Residential media has attracted advertisers looking for new ways to reach affluent urban audiences in settings with less competition for attention than public spaces. Abode Media’s estate is concentrated in higher-value buildings and is designed to reach consumers where they are likely to see messages at the start and end of the day.

The partnership adds central London coverage and broadens the range of locations available through VIOOH’s trading platform. VIOOH operates in 37 markets and works with more than 50 demand-side platforms globally, giving media buyers access to digital out-of-home inventory through automated transactions.

Residential expansion

The addition of Abode Media reflects a wider move in digital out-of-home towards more specialised, venue-based networks. As more advertisers shift spending to programmatic buying, operators of smaller or more targeted estates are seeking distribution through larger marketplaces that connect them to agency and trading desk demand.

For Abode Media, the partnership provides access to buyers using programmatic tools to plan and book campaigns across multiple screen networks. That could make residential inventory easier to include in broader out-of-home and omnichannel media plans, particularly for campaigns aimed at urban consumers with higher spending power.

Abode Media describes residential buildings as a proximity channel that can support brand and purchase messaging close to moments of decision-making. It also says the format allows advertising to sit alongside building communications and community messaging in shared spaces.

Its footprint in London, Manchester and Birmingham gives the network a presence in three of the UK’s largest out-of-home advertising markets. Interior screens in residential settings differ from many traditional formats because they are viewed by a recurring audience rather than passers-by alone, potentially increasing frequency for advertisers seeking regular contact with the same households.

Market access

Programmatic digital out-of-home has become a larger part of the media buying mix as advertisers seek flexibility in planning, targeting and activation. Supply-side platforms such as VIOOH act as intermediaries between media owners and buyers, making inventory available through automated systems rather than solely through direct sales.

In the UK, that shift has brought a wider range of screen types into programmatic trading, from transport hubs and shopping centres to gyms, offices and residential blocks. The partnership with Abode Media adds another venue type to that mix as media owners try to demonstrate the value of more context-specific placements.

Gavin Wilson outlined the rationale for the deal. “Our partnership with Abode Media represents further expansion of our programmatic marketplace, offering brands access to premium central London locations through a uniquely agile and flexible media owner. Its strategic coverage provides advertisers with exceptional opportunities to reach diverse London-centric and internationally travelling audiences. Its new-generation approach to flexibility and responsiveness perfectly complements VIOOH’s real-time trading capabilities,” said Gavin Wilson, Global Chief Commercial Officer, VIOOH.

James Withers outlined Abode Media’s view of the opportunity in residential screens. “We’re very excited by our new partnership with VIOOH, which opens up genuine possibilities for brands to connect with a unique audience in premium locations. Our screens are situated at a key priming location for brands to take advantage of an audience engaging in multiple lifestyle activities. They are the first and final OOH messages seen each day by our residents, or at important moments of craving, decision-making and active shopping,” said James Withers, Head of Agency Sales, Abode Media.

Foxway Circular UK has won a King’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation for its SMART software platform, placing it among 185 organisations recognised nationally.

SMART is a cloud-based system for managing Microsoft Windows licensing on refurbished technology devices. It automates licence injection and device preparation, allowing refurbishers to prepare machines without complex infrastructure while meeting Microsoft Out-of-Box Experience standards.

The award highlights a longstanding challenge in the secondary technology market. Companies refurbishing used computers and other devices must ensure software is legitimate, secure and consistent before resale to corporate and public sector buyers. Licensing has been a particular hurdle, as buyers want refurbished machines to arrive ready to use and compliant with requirements.

Launched in 2022, SMART is now used by more than 800 refurbishers in over 50 countries. Its users range from smaller independent operators to global IT asset disposition providers, reflecting broad demand for systems that support higher volumes of refurbished hardware.

The platform operates within the Microsoft Authorised Refurbisher market, where approved participants need access to valid digital licensing as part of the refurbishment process. In that environment, software handling has become central for companies trying to scale used-device resale while avoiding compliance failures.

Market pressure

Demand for refurbished technology has grown as organisations look to cut costs and reduce waste from short device replacement cycles. Businesses are also under pressure to show progress against environmental targets by extending hardware lifespans and limiting landfill disposal, while still meeting internal standards for security and reliability.

That has created an opportunity for service providers that make refurbished equipment easier to buy and deploy. For sellers of second-life hardware, a key commercial challenge is offering devices with certification, warranty cover and a condition that meets buyer expectations for workplace use.

Foxway argues that SMART helps refurbishers build trust by standardising part of the preparation process. It linked the award to the wider role of refurbishment in the circular economy, where the commercial value of used devices depends on whether they can be returned to service in a compliant way.

Martin Series described the company’s view of the award and the market need behind SMART.

“This is a significant milestone for Foxway Circular UK Ltd and the teams behind SMART. SMART was designed to remove complexity and enable refurbishers to operate with confidence, compliance and scale. As demand for refurbished technology grows, this kind of infrastructure is essential to building trust and unlocking the full potential of the circular IT market,” said Martin Series, Senior Director, Global Solutions, Foxway Circular UK Ltd.

The King’s Awards for Enterprise are among the UK’s best-known business honours, recognising achievement across categories including innovation. For Foxway, the award gives public recognition to a software product rather than its core hardware refurbishment activity alone, underscoring how the resale market increasingly depends on process and software as much as logistics and repair.

Refurbishment focus

The circular IT market has expanded beyond simple resale of used machines. Larger buyers now often expect traceability, standard configuration and assurance that products have been restored to a defined specification before purchase. That has increased the importance of platforms that create repeatable workflows for fleets of devices.

In practice, that matters for IT asset disposition companies and channel partners handling retired corporate equipment at volume. If those operators can process machines more consistently, they can return stock to the market faster and reduce the risk that usable devices are scrapped because software preparation is too slow or uncertain.

Foxway said SMART was built around those operational issues. Ben Daniels said the award recognised not just the business but also the firms using the system in day-to-day refurbishment work.

“This award means a lot, not just to us here at Foxway, but to all the refurbishers we work with every day. SMART was built around the challenges they face, so to see that recognised at this level feels like a win for the whole refurbishment community,” said Daniels.

More than 40% of UK retailers and transport and storage firms plan to raise prices in May, according to Office for National Statistics survey data highlighted by Parcelhero. The figures mark a sharp increase from April.

The latest ONS Business Insights survey found that 41.1% of transport and storage companies expect to increase prices this month, along with 40.5% of retailers and 35.2% of manufacturers. The data points to broad pricing pressure across sectors closely tied to consumer demand and the movement of goods.

In April, 18.6% of transport and storage companies, 25% of retailers and 21.5% of manufacturers planned price increases. That means the share of transport and storage firms planning rises has climbed by 22.5 percentage points month on month, compared with 15.5 percentage points for retailers and 13.7 percentage points for manufacturers.

The comparison with March is also stark. That month, 10.5% of transport and storage firms increased prices, along with 24.6% of retailers and 13.5% of manufacturers, suggesting pressure has intensified over a short period.

Rising costs

The survey also showed many businesses reporting higher input costs. Comparing March with February, 50.6% of transport and storage firms said the price of goods and services they bought had risen, as did 50.9% of retailers and 48.5% of manufacturers.

Many businesses also reported weaker trading. In March, 26% of transport and storage businesses said turnover had fallen, compared with 27.2% of retailers and 25% of manufacturers.

Parcelhero linked rising costs and pricing plans to disruption associated with conflict in the Middle East. Among companies that experienced global supply chain disruption in March, 49.9% of retailers and 48.5% of manufacturers cited conflict in the Middle East as a factor. Across all sectors, 46% pointed to conflict in the Middle East as a reason for supply chain disruption in March, 34 percentage points higher than in February, according to the ONS.

The ONS data also indicated wider strain across the economy. Economic uncertainty was cited as affecting business by 27.6% of transport and storage companies, 43.9% of retailers and 37.4% of manufacturers. Across all sectors, this was the highest proportion reported since the question was introduced in April 2022.

Energy and freight

Energy costs featured prominently among the reasons businesses are considering price increases this month. They were cited by 34.1% of transport and storage companies, 42.9% of retailers and 45.2% of manufacturers.

Transport and haulage costs were also a major factor. The figures showed 41.6% of transport and storage companies said these costs were causing them to consider raising prices, while 36.4% of retailers and 40.6% of manufacturers said the same.

The transport and storage sector is central to domestic distribution and international trade flows. Any increase in freight, shipping or aviation costs can quickly move through supply chains and into shop prices, adding to pressure on businesses already facing subdued demand.

David Jinks, head of consumer research at Parcelhero, said the latest data pointed to mounting pressure on both companies and households.

He said: “The results of the latest ONS Business Insights survey spell bad news for both British industry and consumers. 41.1% of transport & storage sector companies say they plan to increase their prices this month, together with 40.5% of retailers and 35.2% of manufacturers.

“To put these price increases into perspective, only 18.6% of transport & storage companies planned price increases for April, together with 25% of retailers and 21.5% of manufacturers. That’s a 22.5 percentage point increase in the number of transport & storage firms planning increases over last month, a 15.5 percentage point increase among retailers and a 13.7 percentage point increase among manufacturers.

“The situation is even gloomier when compared with March, when the impact of the conflict was only just beginning to bite. In March, only 10.5% of transport & storage firms increased their prices, together with 24.6% of retailers and 13.5% of manufacturers.

“The planned price rises for this month are not surprising when we look at the increase in the cost of services and goods that companies are now facing. Comparing March with February, 50.6% of transport & storage firms reported an increase in the price of goods and services they bought in March, as did 50.9% of retailers and 48.5% of manufacturers.

“The bad news didn’t stop there. As the impact of the conflict hit, 26% of transport & storage businesses reported that turnover decreased in March, together with 27.2% of retailers and 25% of manufacturers.

“There is no mystery over the source of escalating prices and falling demand. Of those companies that experienced global supply chain disruption in March, 49.9% of retailers and 48.5% of manufacturers cited conflict in the Middle East. Across all business sectors, 46% cited conflict in the Middle East as a reason for experiencing global supply chain disruption in March – a 34 percentage point rise from February, according to the ONS.

“Businesses across all sectors face ongoing challenges created by the conflict. 27.6% of transport & storage companies, 43.9% of retailers and 37.4% of manufacturers said economic uncertainty was impacting their business. Across all business sectors, that’s the highest proportion reported since the question was introduced in April 2022, according to the ONS.

“Looking specifically at the factors causing businesses to consider raising their prices this month, 34.1% of transport & storage companies named energy costs, as did 42.9% of retailers and 45.2% of manufacturers.

“One final cost increase facing British businesses is in transport, because of disruption to the Strait of Hormuz and to international shipping and aviation across the Middle East. 41.6% of transport & storage companies said this was an issue that had caused them to consider raising prices this month. 36.4% of retailers and 40.6% of manufacturers also cited transportation or haulage costs as factors causing them to consider increasing prices during May.

“Unfortunately, the economic impact of the conflict does not look likely to lessen any time soon. The fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran is currently under increased threat over the Strait of Hormuz blockade, while international supply chains will face increased costs and disruption for months, even if the truce holds.”