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Stalls & Markets in the UK - Market Size, Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecasts (2025-2029)

Fiona Stalker Fiona Stalker London, United Kingdom Last Updated: July 2025 SIC UK-G478

Revenue

£39.7bn

2025-26

£40.9bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

£X.Xbn

Employees

497k

Businesses

837k

Wages

£X.Xbn

Stalls & Markets in the UK industry analysis

Stalls and markets’ industry revenue across Europe is anticipated to contract at a compound annual rate of 2.2% to €39.7 billion over the five years through 2025. The owner-operator nature of the industry and the small size of stalls mean that no companies have any substantial scale and instead operate from one stall. This does cap revenue due to limited expansion opportunities and stalls that are the most successful tend to open shops or restaurants. Stalls and markets experience some seasonal demand spikes. At Christmas time, visiting stalls across Europe is a festive tradition for many people which boost sales and revenue.

Trends and Insights

  • Stalls tend to serve local communities and are independently run. There are thousands of stalls across Europe who specialise in different products and items.
  • Younger people are the biggest customers for markets. Social media has extended the reach of stalls who can market their products and convince people to travel to come and check them out.
  • High fragmentation keeps concentration low, with small independent stalls. Markets are competitive, with many stalls vying for the attention of customers in small spaces, making it very easy to compare products and prices. Successful stalls go on to open restaurants, keeping concentration low.
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Top Questions Answered in this Report

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What is the market size of the Stalls & Markets industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?

The market size of the Stalls & Markets industry in the United Kingdom is £39.7bn in 2025.

How many businesses are there in the Stalls & Markets industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?

There are 837k businesses in the Stalls & Markets industry in the United Kingdom, which has grown at a CAGR of 5.6 % between 2020 and 2025.

Has the Stalls & Markets industry in the United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Stalls & Markets industry in the United Kingdom has been declining at a CAGR of 1.1 % between 2020 and 2025.

What is the forecast growth of the Stalls & Markets industry in the United Kingdom over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Stalls & Markets industry in the United Kingdom is expected to grow.

What does the Stalls & Markets industry in the United Kingdom include?

Food and groceries and Textile, Clothing and Footwear are part of the Stalls & Markets industry in the United Kingdom.

How competitive is the Stalls & Markets industry in the United Kingdom?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the Stalls & Markets 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

Markets need to secure temporary or permanent licenses to trade. Temporary licenses allow stalls to trade in the market but without a permanent place. A permanent license gives stalls entitlement to a permanent pitch.

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External Drivers

Analysis

What demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the Stalls & Markets in the UK industry?

Financial Benchmarks

Highlights

Trends
  • Profit Margin
  • Average Wage
  • Largest Cost

Key Takeaways

Falling disposable income levels have reduced market sales. With less money to spend on discretionary goods, people have been spending less at markets.

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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 Stalls & Markets 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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