Biggest Industries by Revenue in the UK in 2020

1. Open-Ended Investment Company Activities in the UK

Revenue for 2020: $434.7B

Open-ended investment companies (OEICs) and unit trusts are both types of collective investment schemes that can adjust their portfolios to maximise returns, given a specific investment remit. The size of the fund depends on demand for fund shares, which are created and cancelled upon purchase and redemption. As a result, the fund size is proportional to its investment performance. OEICs are priced to reflect the net asset value of their investments and may have multiple share classes. Funds invest in a range of assets, including domestic and global equities, government and corporate fixed-income securities, and a range of derivatives. While... Learn More

2. Supermarkets in the UK

Revenue for 2020: $205.9B

Changing shopping habits, the aggressive expansion of discount supermarkets and increased external competition have all influenced industry performance over the past five years. Prices have been cut by the largest operators since the start of the price war in a highly competitive environment. However, these have paled in the light of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis. The national lockdown and closure of the hospitality sector has meant that the population was reliant on supermarkets to supply them their sustenance throughout the beginning of 2020-21. As the economy remains subdued throughout 2020-21, disposable income is expected to continue falling and confidence is... Learn More

3. Construction Contractors in the UK

Revenue for 2020: $152.1B

Operators in the Construction Contractors industry are active across the building construction and civil engineering markets. While, by broad definition, industry operators are remunerated for completing new building and infrastructure construction contracts, or for fulfilling maintenance, repair, renovation and remodelling contract obligations, the spectrum of services offered by civils and general building contractors in this industry is multifaceted. Some contractors focus almost exclusively on the construction of new dwellings, while civil engineering specialists afford clients services across the infrastructure value chain. Meanwhile, some contractors specialise in commercial building activity, while many independent contractors may focus on small-scale maintenance contracts in local markets.Inclusive of 1.5% growth expected... Learn More

4. Pension Funding in the UK

Revenue for 2020: $151.1B

The Pension Funding industry comprises defined benefit (DB) schemes and defined contribution (DC) schemes. Over the past decade, the industry has been transformed by the ongoing shift from DB to DC schemes, which in 2020-21 are estimated to account for 57.6% and 42.4% of total industry assets respectively. Industry revenue, which is calculated by combining contributions and investment returns, has increased over the past five years. The increase in contributions was fuelled by the phased introduction of automatic enrolment in pension schemes, which began in October 2012 and was fully phased in by February 2018. Record high levels of employment... Learn More

5. New Car & Light Motor Vehicle Dealers in the UK

Revenue for 2020: $115.4B

The industry performed strongly in 2015-16. Rising incomes and low fuel prices encouraged motorists to purchase new cars, with new car registrations reaching record levels in 2016. Cheap finance deals, the wider availability of new technologies in new cars and the improved fuel economy offered by new models contributed to the industry's strong revenue performance. However, falling consumer confidence and business capital expenditure due to economic uncertainty since the EU referendum have contributed to falls in new car sales in the years since.

Over the five years through 2019-20, revenue is expected to decrease at a compound annual rate of 1%,... Learn More

6. Banks in the UK

Revenue for 2020: $113.0B

Retail and commercial banks generate most of their revenue by charging interest on loans, while a secondary source of revenue is represented by non-interest income from card fees and overdraft fees. Although economic uncertainty since the EU referendum in June 2016 limited demand from home mortgages to an extent, while subdued business confidence reduced demand for commercial loans, prior to the outbreak of the coronavirus the industry was expanding at a moderate pace. Personal lending grew as consumers became increasingly reliant on debt to fund spending. However, a stricter regulatory environment, including increased capital requirements introduced under the Basel III... Learn More

7. Hospitals in the UK

Revenue for 2020: $95.2B

This industry provides medical, diagnostic and treatment services at general and specialised hospitals. A growing and ageing population has increased demand, but public healthcare budgets have failed to keep pace with demand. This has aided demand for private hospitals, as a greater number of patients are seeking private treatment. Over the five years through 2020-21, revenue is expected to rise at a compound annual rate of 0.4% to reach £95.2 billion.

The National Health Service (NHS) has suffered the slowest decade of spending growth of its existence, while inpatient admissions have risen and the total number of beds have declined.... Learn More

8. General Insurance in the UK

Revenue for 2020: $70.1B

Businesses in this industry underwrite general insurance policies relating to property, casualty, liability, motor vehicles and other general risks. The premiums they earn from these activities are then invested to generate additional income. The industry provides services to both private and commercial clients. Underwriting life and disability does not fall within this industry, although general health insurance does.

Over the five years through 2019-20, industry revenue is expected to decline at a compound annual rate of 4.7%, although revenue is expected to rise by 0.8% in 2019-20, to £70.1 billion. The declines were caused by a large stock market sell off... Learn More

9. Pharmaceutical Wholesaling in the UK

Revenue for 2020: $60.6B

The pharmaceutical and healthcare supply chain is characterised by extreme change. The loss of patent protection for several high-profile drugs hampered performance because it tends to lower the revenue generated from such drugs. Increasingly stringent regulation has encouraged greater consumption of generic medicines and intensified downward pricing pressures. Despite this, opportunities for growth remain. In response to rising competitive pressures, some operators have consolidated or merged to extend their role within the pharmaceutical and healthcare supply chain, and to increase their product portfolios and geographical presence. Pharmaceutical wholesalers have also benefited from an expanding and ageing population.

Over the five years... Learn More

10. Fuel Wholesaling in the UK

Revenue for 2020: $58.4B

Industry operators sell a range of fuel products, including automotive petroleum and diesel, jet fuel, heating oil, liquefied petroleum gases and lubricants. The industry’s performance has been heavily affected by volatile crude oil prices over the past five years, which have caused shifts in revenue and equally large movements in costs, weighing on margins. IBISWorld expects industry revenue to fall at a compound annual rate of 3% to £58.4 billion over the five years through 2019-20. Revenue is expected to fall by 0.9% in 2019-20, with rising oil prices expected to limit current-year decline.The decline in industry revenue has been due to... Learn More