Industry Statistics and Trends
Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)
Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 5.1 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated £3.2bn in 2025.
Trends and Insights
Supermarkets continue to erode butchers’ share of the fresh meat market
- Supermarkets have tightened their hold on the UK’s fresh meat trade, reducing butchers’ market share to just 6% in 2023, down from 8% in 2019, according to Defra. Tesco has expanded its in-store butcher counters and private-label premium lines, making it even easier for shoppers to buy everything in one place. Tesco’s Clubcard Prices saved top shoppers almost £400 in 2024. Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s permanently closed all its in-store meat and fish counters in 2020, which may have nudged some shoppers back towards specialist butchers, although most switched to pre-packed supermarket meat instead, as convenience and price outweighed their preference for fresh, counter-served meat. Deals like these make it tough for butchers to compete when household budgets are under pressure.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2025-2030)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
Butchers set to breathe easier as meat prices settle
- After two years of steep cost increases, butchers are beginning to see signs of relief. The ONS reports that wholesale meat prices rose by just 2.8% in 2024, compared to an 8.7% jump in 2023. According to the AHDB, GB deadweight cattle prices fell from a March 2025 high of 674p per kilogram to 634p by July, pointing to stabilising input costs for butchers.
Biggest companies in the Butchers in the UK
| Company | Market Share (%)
2026 | Revenue (£m)
2026 |
|---|---|---|
Sterling Meat Company Ltd | 22.3 | |
Ginger Pig Ltd | 15.7 |
To view the market share and analysis for all 2 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Lamb and mutton, Beef and veal and Pork . Lamb and mutton is the largest segment of the Butchers in the UK.
Trends and Insights
Poultry is the UK’s favourite protein, anchoring butcher counters nationwide
- Butchers primarily sell chicken and other poultry, like duck and quail, sold whole or as cuts.
- More insights available in the full report
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
Companies in this industry specialise in the sale of meat such as poultry, beef, lamb and pork. Value-added products and services such as cookbooks and butchery classes are also included in the industry.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in the Butchers industry in the United Kingdom include Poultry, Beef, Veal, Pork, Lamb, Mutton, Game, Offal, Cooked meat products and Condiments and preserves.Companies
Companies covered in the Butchers industry in the United Kingdom include Sterling Meat Company Ltd and Ginger Pig Ltd.Purchase this report to view all 2 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
Related terms covered in the Butchers industry in the United Kingdom include poultry, organic produce and veal.Industry Code
SIC 47.22 - Butchers in the UK
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
Supermarket promotions cause significant revenue fluctuations for butchers. Many price-sensitive shoppers have switched to supermarkets owing to food inflation, creating unpr...
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
Poultry is the UK’s top protein choice. Chicken’s affordability, health benefits and short farm-to-counter supply chain make it the preferred option amid high food inflation,...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2025
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2025
- Major market segmentation in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
London’s high-income and diverse population attract butchers. Premium and halal products thrive, especially in affluent and multicultural boroughs where spending power and cu...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
- Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of employees in each region in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
Regional chains are growing through investment, but local independents dominate. Businesses like Sterling Meat Company use private funding and public grants to expand, modern...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
The industry’s local nature means there aren’t any major players. The market is mostly made up of independent butchers with only one or a handful of shops operating in a smal...
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
- Overview of Sterling Meat Company Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of Ginger Pig Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for Sterling Meat Company Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Ginger Pig Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Strict food safety regulations underpin consumer trust in UK butchers. The Food Safety Act 1990 and Food Information Regulation 2014 enforce hygiene, traceability and allerge...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Rising meat prices and supply volatility push up purchase costs. Beef and lamb prices surged in 2024. Smaller buyers, due to limited purchasing power and hedging ability, fac...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Liquidity Ratios (2019-2023)
- Coverage Ratios (2019-2023)
- Leverage Ratios (2019-2023)
- Operating Ratios (2019-2023)
- Assets (2019-2023)
- Liabilities (2019-2023)
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
- Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Average Wage (2015-2030)
- Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
- Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2015-2030)
- IVA (2015-2030)
- Establishments (2015-2030)
- Enterprises (2015-2030)
- Employment (2015-2030)
- Exports (2015-2030)
- Imports (2015-2030)
- Wages (2015-2030)
Top Questions Answered
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Butchers industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?
The market size of the Butchers industry in the United Kingdom is £3.2bn in 2025.
How many businesses are there in the Butchers industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?
There are 5,434 businesses in the Butchers industry in the United Kingdom, which has grown at a CAGR of 0.1 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Butchers industry in the United Kingdom?
The Butchers industry in the United Kingdom is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Butchers industry in the United Kingdom?
The Butchers industry in the United Kingdom is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Butchers industry in the United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Butchers industry in the United Kingdom has been declining at a CAGR of 5.1 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Butchers industry in the United Kingdom over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Butchers industry in the United Kingdom is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Butchers industry in the United Kingdom?
The biggest companies operating in the Butchers industry in the United Kingdom are Sterling Meat Company Ltd and Ginger Pig Ltd
What does the Butchers industry in the United Kingdom include?
Poultry and Beef are part of the Butchers industry in the United Kingdom.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Butchers industry in the United Kingdom?
The company holding the most market share in the Butchers industry in the United Kingdom is Sterling Meat Company Ltd.
How competitive is the Butchers industry in the United Kingdom?
The level of competition is high and increasing in the Butchers industry in the United Kingdom.
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in the UK include:
- Office for National Statistics
- Office for Budget Responsibility
- Bank of England
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
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