UK Retail Rankings: 2026
"The continued pressure on household incomes means shoppers will prolong value-led, risk-averse spending and will lead to greater scrutiny of non-essential purchases."
Natalie Macmillan, Senior Retail Analyst
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THE UK RETAIL SCENE
- The top 10 in 2024/25
- Sales growth slows but operating margins improve
- Tesco is the UK’s biggest retailer but Amazon and discounters continue to gain
- Consumers remain quite pessimistic
- Graph 1: expected changes in the economy and society over the next year or so, 2026
- How shoppers are behaving in response
- Graph 2: consumer concerns, 2026
- Implications for category performance and positioning
- Graph 3: expected change in spending in 2026 compared to 2025, by category, 2026
- Online continues to take share from physical retail
- Graph 4: online sales as a percentage of all retail sales, 2025-26
- Physical retail still remains at the core of retailing
- Graph 5: share of online sales by month, by type of retail operation, 2025-26
- Modest retail growth reflects cautious consumer spending
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ADMINISTRATIONS, MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS
- A tougher trading environment is pushing more retailers to the edge
- Retail administrations, acquisitions and mergers
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UK RETAILING BY SECTOR
- Books, news and stationery specialists
- Books, news and stationery retailing within the UK retail sector
- Graph 6: specialist books, news and stationery retailers’ sales as a percentage of total retail sales, 2016-25
- Top five generate 84% of sector sales
- Graph 7: leading specialist book, news and stationery retailers’ market shares, 2024/25
- WHSmith exits the high street, creating a standalone specialist estate
- Card Factory and Waterstones broaden reach through complementary channels
- Carpet Retailing
- Carpet retailing within the UK retail sector
- Graph 8: specialist carpet retailers’ sales as a percentage of total retail sales, 2016-25
- Top three generate just 12% of sector sales
- Graph 9: leading specialist carpet retailers’ market shares, 2024/25
- Tapi driving consolidation in a previously fragmented market
- Charity retailing
- Charity retailing within the UK retail sector
- Graph 10: number of charities in England and Wales, 2016-26
- Resale platforms are seen as complementing charity shops
- British Heart Foundation is the UK’s leading charity by retail income
- Graph 11: leading charities’ retail income sales, 2024/25
- Estate rationalisation and rising consolidation signal structural change
- Format diversification and digital integration reshape engagement
- Clothing specialists
- Clothing retailing within the UK retail sector
- Graph 12: specialist clothing retailers’ sales as a percentage of total retail sales, 2016-25
- Top five generate nearly half of sector sales
- Graph 13: leading specialist clothing retailers’ market shares, 2024/25
- Next, M&S and Primark adapt stores for a more selective clothing shopper
- Zara, TK Maxx and Next reflect a more concentrated retail landscape
- DIY specialists
- DIY retailing within the UK retail sector
- Graph 14: specialist DIY retailers’ sales as a percentage of total retail sales, 2016-25
- Top five generate 84% of sector sales
- Graph 15: leading specialist DIY retailers’ market shares, 2024/25
- B&Q and Screwfix at Kingfisher focus on scale, convenience and digital reach
- Wickes builds relevance through project led retail and expansion
- Electricals, IT & telecoms specialists
- Electricals, IT & telecoms retailing within the UK retail sector
- Graph 16: electrical, IT and telecom specialist retailers’ sales as a percentage of all retail sales, 2016-25
- Top five generate 86 % of sector sales
- Graph 17: leading specialist electrical, IT and telecom retailers’ market shares, 2024/25
- Currys and AO World adapt to changing consumer priorities in electricals
- EE and O2 seek to reposition telecoms retail as a service‑led experience
- Food and drink specialists
- Specialist food and drink retailing within the UK retail sector
- Graph 18: specialist food and drink retailers’ sales as a percentage of total retail sales, 2016-25
- Top five generate 25% of sector sales
- Graph 19: specialist food and drink retailers’ market shares, 2024/25
- Greggs and Gail’s highlight divergence in bakery positioning
- Hotel Chocolat and Holland & Barrett navigate selective spending
- Top five generate 22% of sector sales
- Graph 20: specialist (store-based) alcoholic drinks retailers’ market shares, 2024/25
- Alcohol specialists navigate shifting demand
- Footwear retailing
- Footwear retailing within the UK retail sector
- Graph 21: footwear* retailers’ sales as a percentage of total retail sales, 2016-25
- Top five generate 30% of sector sales
- Graph 22: leading specialist footwear retailers’ market shares, 2024/25
- Wide range and store experience underpin relevance for Schuh and Office
- Polarised spending keeps Shoe Zone, Deichmann and supermarket footwear firmly in the mix
- Furniture and homewares specialists
- Furniture and homewares retailing within the UK retail sector
- Graph 23: specialist furniture & homewares retailers’ sales as a percentage of total retail sales, 2016-25
- Top five generate 53 % of sector sales
- Graph 24: leading specialist furniture & homewares retailers’ market shares, 2024/25
- IKEA and Dunelm reflect split between major projects and everyday home updates
- Wren Kitchens, Dreams and Furniture Village focus on reassurance and service
- Garden centres
- Garden centre retailing within the UK retail sector
- Graph 25: garden products spending as a percentage of total retail sales, 2016-25
- Top five generate 67% of sector sales
- Graph 26: leading garden centres’ market shares, 2024/25
- Consolidation and estate reshaping across national multiples
- Expansion strategies reinforce scale advantages
- Health and beauty retailers
- Health and beauty retailing within the UK retail sector
- Graph 27: specialist health & beauty retailers’ sales as a percentage of total retail sales, 2016-25
- Top five generate 83% of sector sales
- Graph 28: leading specialist health and beauty retailers’ market shares, 2024/25
- Boots and Superdrug maintain scale through access, value and services
- Sephora and Space NK intensify competition in premium beauty
- Online/home shopping retailers
- E-commerce/home shopping continues to evolve and gain share
- Graph 29: non-store retailing sales as a percentage of all retail sales, 2016-25
- Top five generate 57% of sector sales
- Graph 30: leading non-store retailers’ market shares, 2024/25
- Amazon remains the benchmark for range, delivery and service
- Shein and ASOS reflect shifting online fashion habits
- Ocado’s online grocery offer matures and evolves according to usage occasions
- Jewellery specialists
- Jewellery retailing within the UK retail sector
- Graph 31: jewellery and watches consumer spending as a percentage of total retail sales, 2016-25
- Top five generate just 23% of sector sales
- Graph 32: leading specialist jewellery retailers’ market shares, 2024/25
- Watches of Switzerland and Astrid & Miyu highlight a changing jewellery market
- Pandora and Signet maintain relevance through gifting and personalisation
- Miscellaneous specialists
- Demand remains uneven and selective
- Graph 33: miscellaneous specialist retailers’ sales as % of total retail sales, 2016-25
- Top five generate 5% of sector sales
- Graph 34: leading miscellaneous specialist retailers’ market shares, 2024/25
- Halfords and Pets at Home show the growing importance of services
- Timpson reinforces the value of convenience and local trust
- Mixed goods retailers
- Mixed goods retailing within the UK retail sector
- Graph 35: mixed goods retailers’ sales as a percentage of total retail sales, 2016-25
- Top five generate 70% of sector sales
- Graph 36: leading mixed goods retailers’ market shares, 2024/25
- B&M, Home Bargains and Poundland anchor value through breadth and immediacy
- Argos has shifted from its catalogue heritage to digital immediacy
- John Lewis dominates department store sector
- Graph 37: leading department store operators’ market shares, 2024/25
- John Lewis, Selfridges and Harrods shift the department store towards curation and experience
- Fortnum and Mason and House of Fraser illustrate a widening split in positioning
- Opticians
- Optical goods retailing within the UK retail sector
- Graph 38: optical goods consumer spending as a percentage of total retail sales, 2016-25
- Top five generate 97% of sector sales
- Graph 39: leading optical goods retailers’ market shares, 2024/25
- Specsavers extends its lead through accessibility and community-based care
- Boots Opticians and Vision Express highlight growing consumer engagement with smart eyewear and technology
- Recreation specialists
- Cautious but resilient demand
- Graph 40: consumer spending on sports and toys as a percentage of all retail sales, 2016-25
- Top five generate 75% of sector sales
- Graph 41: leading specialist recreation retailers’ market shares, 2024/25
- JD Sports and Sports Direct keep sports fashion highly visible
- Smyths Toys and The Entertainer dominate toys through range, occasions and family appeal
- Supermarkets, superstores and convenience stores
- Value perception is still the dominant driver of retailer choice
- Graph 42: sales of supermarkets, convenience stores and discounters* as a percentage of all retail sales 2016-25
- Top five generate 70% of sector sales
- Graph 43: leading grocery retailers’ market shares, 2024/25
- Tesco’s leadership is tied to loyalty, format reach and perceived value
- Aldi and Lidl growth is underpinned by value clarity and simplified choices
- Asda, Morrisons and Co-op navigating positioning and consolidation signals
- Convenience and store experience evolving across all major operators
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APPENDIX
- Technical notes and definitions
- The rankings
- Qualifications for inclusion
- Classifications
- Classifications and market shares
- Sector codes
- Year-ends
- Sales, profits, sales areas and densities
- Non-retail data
The UK Retail Ranking Report offers a comprehensive analysis of the UK retail market in 2026, focusing on sector performance, leading players, and emerging trends. It covers key areas such as grocery, clothing, electronics, and more, examining how economic conditions and changing consumer behaviors are influencing the market.
This report is vital reading for retail industry professionals, market analysts, investors, and business strategists. It provides significant insights into competitive market dynamics, assisting stakeholders in making informed decisions and identifying potential growth opportunities.
Key Topics Explored in the Report
- An exhaustive overview of the UK retail industry ecosystem, highlighting the top retailers and their responses to recent challenges
- An analysis of the consumer outlook and implications for category performance and positioning
- Online vs physical retail sales trends (2025-2026)
- Analysis of administrative actions, mergers and acquisitions in the UK retail market
- Sector-specific insights and analyses focusing on sales and market share of the market leaders
Retail Sectors Covered in the Report
Books, news and stationary specialists, Carpet retailing, Charity retailing, Clothing specialists, DIY specialists, Electricals, IT and telecoms specialists, Food and drinks specialists, Footwear retailing, Furniture and homeware specialists, Garden centres, Health and beauty retailers, Online/home shopping retailers, Jewellery specialists, Miscellaneous specialists, Mixed goods retailers, Opticians, Recreation specialists, Supermarkets, superstores and convenience stores
About Mintel’s Retail Rankings
The UK retail rankings puts the leading UK retailers in perspective. The data is the key element and that is contained in the Databook while within the Report we give an overview of key players performance, sector analysis and trends within this Report.
Our aim is to include all the major retailers that we can get data for as well as a few that we can’t. In practice that means that we are constrained by the small company provisions at Companies House, which allow companies only to file a brief balance sheet summary, and by the structure of companies.
In general, we follow the classifications used by most European statistical offices, but we make one significant change in this. Because of the rapid growth in online retailing we have introduced more detailed sub-classifications for ‘non-store’ retailers. In principle, a non-store retailer is one that generates more than half of its sales online in normal circumstances. We have to provide this because the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 may have led many companies to temporarily breach that limit.
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