Fastest Declining Industries in the UK by Revenue Growth (%) in 2019

1. Video & Game Rental in the UK

2018-2019 Revenue Growth: -30.5%

Industry operators rent physical copies of films, TV programmes and games in stores or over the internet to be delivered by post. The industry does not include the provision of media through streaming services, such as video on demand (VOD) or downloadable games. Following the shift in consumer preference towards streaming services and the subsequent exit of major industry players, the industry has undergone massive structural change and is now highly fragmented. According to the Entertainment Retailers Association, the physical rental of video entertainment decreased by 16.3% during 2017-18 to only £40.5 million, approximately 1.5% of the total video entertainment industry sales. Music... Learn More

2. Precious Metals Production in the UK

2018-2019 Revenue Growth: -20.0%

Industry operators recycle gold, silver and platinum group metals from a range of materials. Sales of platinum group metals are heavily influenced by the performance of the automotive industry as the commodity is used to manufacture catalytic converters. In general, platinum is more prevalent for diesel vehicles and palladium for petrol vehicles, although all catalysts contain a proportion of platinum, palladium and rhodium. Gold and silver are both used to make jewellery and have a variety of industrial uses, but they are also popular with investors, who consider them a safe haven for their wealth when returns elsewhere are uncertain. This investment... Learn More

3. Hard Coal Mining in the UK

2018-2019 Revenue Growth: -18.4%

In both European and global terms, the United Kingdom is a minor producer of coal. Production has fallen sharply since the early 1970s, plunging as mines were closed in the mid-1980s. Coal was responsible for over two-thirds of electricity generation in the 1990s, but it is now expected to only generate less than 5% of the United Kingdom's electricity. Government efforts to phase out the use of coal combined with the relatively low world price of steaming coal is expected to result in industry revenue falling at a compound annual rate of 19.6% over the five years through 2018-19. During... Learn More

4. Chemical & Fertiliser Mineral Mining in the UK

2018-2019 Revenue Growth: -17.9%

The Chemical and Fertiliser Mineral Mining industry has been subject to volatile conditions over the past five years. The industry transitioned to the production of polyhalite which led to a substantial reduction in potash prices and significant revenue decline. As a result, industry revenue is forecast to decrease at a compound annual rate of 19.2% to reach £73.8 million over the five years through 2019-20. This includes an estimated decline of 5.9% in the current year.

The industry has undergone considerable changes as the largest industry operator focuses solely on the production of polyhalite, an organic fertiliser which requires no further... Learn More

5. Dam, Harbour & Other Water Project Construction in the UK

2018-2019 Revenue Growth: -9.0%

Operators in the Dam, Harbour and Other Water Project Construction industry undertake water-based civil engineering projects that facilitate water storage, containment and transport. Some firms specialise in dock, harbour and marina developments for water transport, while others concentrate on maintaining water infrastructure, containing flooding, and preserving natural waterways and coastal regions. Industry revenue is forecast to decline at a compound annual rate of 10.4% over the five years through 2018-19 to £402 million, owing to erratic demand conditions, a lack of public-sector funding and the cyclical nature of water companies' investment frameworks.

At the start of the period, government budget cuts... Learn More

6. Sugar Production in the UK

2018-2019 Revenue Growth: -8.7%

The industry processes sugar beet and sugar cane into sugar, sugar substitutes and related products used by a wide range of downstream industries. The industry is an oligopoly, dominated by two producers: British Sugar and T&L Sugars. The former is the largest company in the industry and is a beet refiner, processing all of the sugar beet grown in the United Kingdom. Since Tate & Lyle sold its UK sugar refineries to the ASR Group in 2010, the latter’s subsidiary, T&L Sugars, has been the only other dominant producer. The company still sells sugar under the Tate & Lyle name... Learn More

7. Paper Stationery Manufacturing in the UK

2018-2019 Revenue Growth: -7.2%

Operators in the Paper Stationery Manufacturing industry have endured tough conditions during the past five years due to the continued proliferation of electronic communication, data transfer and storage at the expense of traditional paper stationery products. At the start of the past five-year period, weak economic conditions provided further complications for the industry as businesses and households reduced spending on stationery products. Additionally, rising import penetration and dwindling exports prior to the post-referendum depreciation of the pound also negatively influenced the industry's performance. Industry revenue is projected to decline at a compound annual rate of 8.6% over the five years... Learn More

8. Crude Petroleum & Natural Gas Extraction in the UK

2018-2019 Revenue Growth: -6.1%

Oil and gas production in the United Kingdom has declined since its peak in the late 1990s as existing fields have matured and it has become increasingly challenging to develop new commercially viable sources. Operators have been able to endure this instability by forming partnerships to pool their resources and make extraction more efficient. The industry ramped up investment prior to the start of the current five-year period, with efforts aimed at softening the blow of declining output. Some operators are expected to reap the benefits of this early investment with a number of new fields coming on stream in... Learn More

9. Steel Tube, Pipe & Related Fitting Manufacturing in the UK

2018-2019 Revenue Growth: -5.8%

The Steel Tube, Pipe and Related Fitting Manufacturing industry has been affected by heavy volatility over the past five years. Industry revenue tumbled just before the beginning of the period as demand for steel piping used in oil and gas production consistently declined. British oil and gas stocks are on the decline, leaving only difficult-to-access reserves untapped. Even during times of successful exploration, dwindling global oil prices over the past five years have offered little incentive for production. These factors are anticipated to have reduced demand for industry products over the past five years.In recent years, shifting downstream demand has... Learn More

10. Tobacco Product Wholesaling in the UK

2018-2019 Revenue Growth: -5.3%

The Tobacco Product Wholesaling industry has long been threatened by declining tobacco consumption. Increased awareness of the health risks associated with smoking, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, has led to falling levels of tobacco consumption among the UK population. In line with this, increasing levels of health consciousness have intensified external competition from alternative products such as e-cigarettes and vapes. Increasingly stringent legislation, such as laws prohibiting the promotion and display of tobacco products and packaging requirements, alongside the imposition of rising taxes and duties on tobacco sales has contributed to the decline in smoking rates.

Wholesale bypass remains a... Learn More