Industry Statistics and Trends
Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)
Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 1.3 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated £5.7bn in 2025.
Trends and Insights
A resurgent housing market spurs return to revenue growth
- Demand from furniture, lighting and homeware retailers is rebounding in 2025–26, following years of decline caused by high inflation, weak consumer confidence and cost-of-living pressures. As these challenges ease, discretionary spending is recovering. According to BDO’s High Street Sales Tracker in April 2025, homeware sales recorded 12 consecutive weeks of positive growth in early 2025, including a 9.9% year-on-year rise in mid-February. This revival in retail activity is fuelling industry revenue, with wholesalers capitalising on stronger downstream demand and renewed consumer spending to sell more furniture, carpet and lighting products.
- 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
Positive GDP growth outlook will spur increased housing activity, supporting industry sales
- As inflationary pressures and the cost-of-living crisis subside, positive GDP growth projections will support industry revenue. As of May 2025, UBS forecasts GDP growth of 1.1% in 2026 and 1.4% in 2027, indicating steady, positive growth that signals an improving economic landscape. The uptick in GDP suggests consumers will be more willing to invest in discretionary items, boosting demand for non-essential home improvements and renovations. This will drive sales of industry products like furniture and flooring, which are closely tied to discretionary spending habits, supporting industry revenue.
Biggest companies in the Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling in the UK
| Company | Market Share (%)
2026 | Revenue (£m)
2026 |
|---|---|---|
Howden Joinery Limited | 1,846.0 | |
Headlam Group plc | 531.8 | |
Rexel UK Ltd | 247.6 |
To view the market share and analysis for all 4 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 Carpets and rugs, Indoor furniture and Outdoor furniture. Carpets and rugs is the largest segment of the Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling in the UK.
Trends and Insights
The glum economic environment causes consumers to hold back on large indoor furniture purchases
- Indoor furniture is a broad segment, including sofas, dining tables, drawers and mattresses.
- More insights available in the full report
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
International trade is accounted for at the manufacturing level. Nevertheless, many wholesalers conduct international trade, selling imported furniture, carpets and lighting to the domestic market.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in the Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom include Carpets and rugs, Outdoor furniture , Lighting and Indoor furniture.Companies
Companies covered in the Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom include Howden Joinery Limited, Headlam Group plc and Rexel UK Ltd.Purchase this report to view all 4 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
Related terms covered in the Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom include tufted carpet, axminster carpets and wholesale bypass.Industry Code
SIC 46.47 - Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling 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
Resurgence in housing activity spurs sales. A recovering housing market, driven by easing economic pressures and falling interest rates, is spurring demand for furniture, lig...
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
Carpet sales struggle as popularity of rugs boom. The sale of carpets is struggling as consumers opt for alternatives likes vinyl and laminate as budget-friendly, convenient ...
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 emerges as a key furniture retail hub. The city's affluent population and cluster of major furniture outlets make it a thriving hub for furniture retail activity.
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
The market is fragmented due to the diverse range of products sold. The variety of goods like furniture, lighting and carpets leads to multiple niches among wholesalers, resu...
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
Sustainability shapes Howden Joinery's practices. The company has committed to green initiatives by achieving carbon-neutral manufacturing, reducing waste from its depots and...
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 Howden Joinery Limited's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of Headlam Group plc's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of Rexel UK Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for one additional company
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for Howden Joinery Limited, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Headlam Group plc, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Rexel UK Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description, key data and performance trends for one additional company
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Strict regulations underscore consumer safety. Regulations like the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 and the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988 e...
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
Soaring National Living Wage elevates wage costs. The National Living Wage surged to £12.21 in April 2025, a 6.7% year-on-year increase. This elevates the wage bill for an in...
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 Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?
The market size of the Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom is £5.7bn in 2025.
How many businesses are there in the Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?
There are 2,369 businesses in the Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom, which has declined at a CAGR of 0.3 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom?
The Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling 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 Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom?
The Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling 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 Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom has been declining at a CAGR of 1.3 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom?
The biggest companies operating in the Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom are Howden Joinery Limited, Headlam Group plc and Rexel UK Ltd
What does the Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom include?
Carpets and rugs and Outdoor furniture are part of the Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom?
The company holding the most market share in the Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom is Howden Joinery Limited.
How competitive is the Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom?
The level of competition is high and increasing in the Furniture, Carpet & Lighting Wholesaling industry in the United Kingdom.
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Competitors
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Complementors
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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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