UK a nation of value clothing shoppers, GlobalData

The UK value clothing market reached £13.5 billion in 2017. And while growth out to 2022 is expected to be softer than the preceding five years, there is still immense demand for value retailers’ ranges, given their ability to meet consumer desire for quality, fashionability and value for money which is vital amid limited disposable incomes, according to GlobalData.

47.3% of UK clothing shoppers buy the majority of their clothing from the likes of Primark, H&M and the grocers, according to GlobalData’s 2018 survey. And that number rises to 53.9% for under-35s. The appetite for market leader Primark’s proposition remains healthy, with the retailer achieving 8% UK growth in H1 FY2017/18, supported by like-for-like sales rising 3%, and all without a transactional website. 

“Exactly two thirds of females aged 16-24 primarily shop at value retailers, emphasising the hold that the likes of H&M, boohoo.com and Primark have on this demographic – and the ongoing challenge they pose to midmarket players such as Topshop and River Island,” says Kate Ormrod, Lead Retail Analyst at GlobalData.

“However, the majority of females aged 55+ prefer to shop at midmarket retailers, no doubt in response to the limited offer in the value segment, with only the likes of Bonmarché, Matalan and the grocers targeting them. While the youth market is lucrative for Primark and H&M, these players should drive awareness and appeal among mature consumers by highlighting appropriate but youthful styles for this age group.”

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