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Material Recovery in the UK - Market Size, Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecasts (2025-2029)

Luyi Geng Luyi Geng London, United Kingdom Last Updated: June 2025 SIC UK-E383

Revenue

£120.7bn

2025-26

£124.1bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

£XX.Xbn

Employees

448k

Businesses

44,366

Wages

£X.Xbn

Material Recovery in the UK industry analysis

Material recovery service providers have contended with numerous economic headwinds in recent years, ranging from subdued economic growth during the cost-of-living crisis and the high base rate environment as central banks aimed to curb spiralling inflation. Revenue is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 4.1% over the five years through 2025 to €120.7 billion, including an estimated dip of 0.7% in 2025.

Trends and Insights

  • Subdued economic growth hits demand. The high base rate environment and spiralling inflation have clobbered activity in downstream markets, weighing on demand for material recovery services.
  • Metal recycling is the industry’s largest market. The sorting and recovery of metal is a significant source of revenue due to the high price of metals compared with other recovered materials.
  • Concentration is rising in the Material Recovery Services industry. Larger companies are absorbing smaller companies to solidify their market positions.
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Top Questions Answered in this Report

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What is the market size of the Material Recovery industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?

The market size of the Material Recovery industry in the United Kingdom is £120.7bn in 2025.

How many businesses are there in the Material Recovery industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?

There are 44,366 businesses in the Material Recovery industry in the United Kingdom, which has grown at a CAGR of 4.5 % between 2020 and 2025.

Has the Material Recovery industry in the United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Material Recovery industry in the United Kingdom has been growing at a CAGR of 5.2 % between 2020 and 2025.

What is the forecast growth of the Material Recovery industry in the United Kingdom over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Material Recovery industry in the United Kingdom is expected to grow.

What does the Material Recovery industry in the United Kingdom include?

Recycling metal and Recycling glass are part of the Material Recovery industry in the United Kingdom.

How competitive is the Material Recovery industry in the United Kingdom?

The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Material Recovery industry in the United Kingdom.

Everything you need in one report

  • Reliable market estimates from 2015-2030
  • Competitive analysis, industry segmentation, financial benchmarks
  • Powerful SWOT, Porter’s Five Forces and risk management frameworks
  • Online membership platform with PDF, Word, Excel and PPT exports

Table of Contents

External Environment

Highlights

Trends
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key Takeaways

Environmental regulations are picking up. Material recovery facilities contend with regulations that require businesses that use, recycle, treat or dispose of waste to have an environmental permit.

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External Drivers

Analysis

What demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the Material Recovery in the UK industry?

Financial Benchmarks

Highlights

Trends
  • Profit Margin
  • Average Wage
  • Largest Cost

Key Takeaways

The average industry profit margin has remained depressed in recent years. Inflationary pressures, like rising input prices and high energy costs, have led to high production costs, which have weighed on profitability.

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Cost Structure

Charts
  • Share of Economy vs. Investment Matrix
  • Industry Cost Structure Benchmarks:
    • Marketing
    • Depreciation
    • Profit
    • Purchases
    • Wages
    • Rent
    • Utilities
    • Other
Analysis

What trends impact cost in the Material Recovery in the UK industry?


Key Ratios

Data tables
  • IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
  • Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
  • Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
  • Average Wage (2015-2030)

Country Benchmarks

European Leaders & Laggards

Data Tables

Top and bottom five countries listed for each:

  • Revenue Growth (2025)
  • Business Growth (2025)
  • Job Growth (2025)

European Country Performance

Data Tables

Rankings available for 37 countries. Statistics ranked include:

  • IVA/Revenue (2025)
  • Imports/Demand (2025)
  • Exports/Revenue (2025)
  • Revenue per Employee (2025)
  • Wages/Revenue (2025)
  • Employees per Establishment (2025)
  • Average Wage (2025)

Structural Comparison

Data Tables

Trends in 37 countries benchmarked against trends in Europe

  • Concentration
  • Competition
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Buyer Power
  • Supplier Power
  • Volatility
  • Capital Intensity
  • Innovation
  • Life Cycle

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)

Methodology

Where does IBISWorld source its data?

IBISWorld is a world-leading provider of business information, with reports on 5,000+ industries in Australia, New Zealand, North America, Europe and China. Our expert industry analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build an accurate picture of each industry.

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and IBISWorld's proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights. 

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