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Newsagents & Stationery Stores in the UK - Market Research Report (2015-2030)

Freddie Griffin Freddie Griffin London, United Kingdom Last Updated: April 2025 SIC G47.620

Revenue

£2.1bn

2025-26

£2.1bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

£XX.Xm

Employees

35,917

Businesses

2,158

Wages

£XXX.Xm

Newsagents & Stationery Stores in the UK industry analysis

The Newsagents and Stationery Stores industry is navigating a challenging landscape, with revenue expected to contract at a compound annual rate of 1.9% over the five years through 2025-26 to £2.1 billion. The soaring popularity of digital news, especially among younger generations, is the main culprit for the continued freefall of newspaper sales. The work-from-home trend has seen demand for stationery tumble, although a resurgence in in-person office attendance has helped stabilise volatile revenue in the past couple of years. Difficulties have been compounded by a rocky economic period, with cost-of-living pressures driving up operational costs and cutting into consumers’ budgets, limiting sales. At the same time, a reliance on minimum wage workers means that increases in the National Living Wage have hit the industry hard, further straining profitability.

Trends and Insights

  • Digital disruption reshapes the consumption of news. The hike in online news and social media platforms has eclipsed print media, with traditional newspaper sales plunging as internet penetration and smartphone use soar.
  • Lingering economic uncertainty tightens purse strings. Soaring prices have discouraged consumers and businesses from updating their office supplies and giving in to impulse purchases, reducing stationery sales.
  • London and the South East continue to fuel sales. With high disposable incomes, dense populations and a thriving business environment, sales of office supplies and stationery remain strong in these regions.
  • Supermarket chains and online platforms eat into sales. Customers are increasingly leaning towards supermarkets and online platforms due to their convenience and ability to offer lower prices.

Access hundreds of data points and trends

  • Market estimates from 2015-2030
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 1.9 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated £2.1bn in 2025.

Trends and Insights

Online news continues to cripple newspaper sales

  • The rise of digital alternatives has transformed how people access news, granting consumers real-time updates, easy access and interactive content. According to Ofgem in September 2024, seven in 10 people now consume news online in some capacity. Demand for print newspapers and magazines is tumbling as consumers increasingly turn to digital platforms for their news. This threatens newsagents, which have historically relied on sales of these products to sustain operations.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Newsagents & Stationery Stores in the UK
Revenue (2015-2030)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2025-2030)

Market size is projected to decline over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

The shift to online news shift continues to hit newsagents, but digital detoxes offer relief

  • The popularity of online news sources will continue to erode sales for newsagents stocking traditional forms of media. Ofcom’s 2024 News Consumption in the UK report revealed that online platforms had overtaken TV for the first time, with online news consumption increasing six percentage points from 2020 levels. This trend is expected to persist as screens become more integrated into daily life, underscoring the need for newsagents to reduce their reliance on newspaper and magazine sales.

Biggest companies in the Newsagents & Stationery Stores in the UK

Company
Market Share (%)
2026
Revenue (£m)
2026
WH Smith plc
768.2
Ryman Ltd
93.0
The Works Stores Ltd
87.4

To view the market share and analysis for all 4 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Newsagents & Stationery Stores in the UK
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Newspapers and magazines, Greetings cards and Stationery . Newspapers and magazines is the largest segment of the Newsagents & Stationery Stores in the UK.

Trends and Insights

The paperless push challenges stationery sales

  • Stationery includes writing tools, paper products and office supplies for both personal and professional use.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Newsagents and stationery stores primarily sell newspapers, magazines, greetings cards and stationery, including office supplies. Products are sourced from a variety of local and international suppliers and sold to consumers and businesses.

What's included in this industry?

Newspapers and magazinesStationeryGreetings cards

Companies

WH Smith plcRyman LtdThe Works Stores Ltd

Purchase this report to view all 4 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

NEWSPAPER CIRCULATIONSOHOE-CARDDIGITAL FATIGUEECOTOXICITY

Industry Code

SIC 2007

SIC 47.62 - Newsagents & Stationery Stores in the UK

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Digital disruption reshapes the consumption of news. The hike in online news and social media platforms has eclipsed print media, with traditional newspaper sales plunging as...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Lingering economic uncertainty tightens purse strings. Soaring prices have discouraged consumers and businesses from updating their office supplies and giving in to impulse p...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2025
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2025
  • Major market segmentation in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

London and the South East continue to fuel sales. With high disposable incomes, dense populations and a thriving business environment, sales of office supplies and stationery...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Supermarket chains and online platforms eat into sales. Customers are increasingly leaning towards supermarkets and online platforms due to their convenience and ability to o...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

WH Smith’s strategic locations rive strong sales. By situating stores in high-traffic areas and growing its travel retail with acquisitions, the company has successfully harn...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
  • Overview of WH Smith plc's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of Ryman Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of The Works Stores Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for one additional company

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for WH Smith plc, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Ryman Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for The Works Stores Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for one additional company

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Minimum wage laws rule the industry. This National Minimum Wage Act ensures all employees are entitled to an hourly minimum wage, with non-compliance resulting in penalties t...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Fierce competition drains profit. Supermarket chains and big online retailers leverage their buying power to secure lower purchasing costs and drive prices down. To remain co...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Liquidity Ratios (2019-2023)
  • Coverage Ratios (2019-2023)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2019-2023)
  • Operating Ratios (2019-2023)
  • Assets (2019-2023)
  • Liabilities (2019-2023)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Average Wage (2015-2030)
  • Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
  • Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

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)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Newsagents & Stationery Stores industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?

The market size of the Newsagents & Stationery Stores industry in the United Kingdom is £2.1bn in 2025.

How many businesses are there in the Newsagents & Stationery Stores industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?

There are 2,158 businesses in the Newsagents & Stationery Stores industry in the United Kingdom, which has declined at a CAGR of 4.5 % between 2020 and 2025.

How may import tariffs affect the Newsagents & Stationery Stores industry in the United Kingdom?

The Newsagents & Stationery Stores industry in the United Kingdom is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

How may export tariffs affect the Newsagents & Stationery Stores industry in the United Kingdom?

The Newsagents & Stationery Stores industry in the United Kingdom is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

Has the Newsagents & Stationery Stores industry in the United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Newsagents & Stationery Stores industry in the United Kingdom has been declining at a CAGR of 1.9 % between 2020 and 2025.

What is the forecast growth of the Newsagents & Stationery Stores industry in the United Kingdom over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Newsagents & Stationery Stores industry in the United Kingdom is expected to decline.

What are the biggest companies in the Newsagents & Stationery Stores industry in the United Kingdom?

The biggest companies operating in the Newsagents & Stationery Stores industry in the United Kingdom are WH Smith plc, Ryman Ltd and The Works Stores Ltd

What does the Newsagents & Stationery Stores industry in the United Kingdom include?

Newspapers and magazines and Stationery are part of the Newsagents & Stationery Stores industry in the United Kingdom.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Newsagents & Stationery Stores industry in the United Kingdom?

The company holding the most market share in the Newsagents & Stationery Stores industry in the United Kingdom is WH Smith plc.

How competitive is the Newsagents & Stationery Stores industry in the United Kingdom?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the Newsagents & Stationery Stores industry in the United Kingdom.

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Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

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

Key data sources in the UK include:

  • Office for National Statistics
  • Office for Budget Responsibility
  • Bank of England

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

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