P. Smith
Research expert covering apparel industry and general merchandise
Although underwear by its definition is one of the least visible items of apparel, that does not reduce its importance to consumers; for practical reasons of comfort and support as well as the consideration that if someone does see it for whatever reason, you might want it to look good. The underwear and nightwear market in the United Kingdom was estimated to be worth over four billion U.S. dollars in 2023, a figure forecast to surpass five billion dollars by 2028. The women’s segment of the market far surpassed that of the men’s and children’s segments combined.
Overall, consumers are expected to spend more on underwear in the United Kingdom, as forecasts show that market revenue will steadily rise over the coming five years.
The women’s underwear market
The women’s segment of the UK underwear and nightwear market was estimated to be worth approximately 1.9 billion British pounds in 2023. When divided into the categories of bras, underwear, nightwear, and other (including lingerie), bras were responsible for the largest market share, generating roughly one billion British pounds in revenue. Bras had an average price of nearly 15 pounds per item in 2023, which was significantly more expensive than the average price of women’s underwear. In 2022, the UK women’s underwear market was the seventh largest worldwide, which is even more impressive considering the disparity in population size between the UK and the countries at the top of the ranking such as the U.S. and China.Consumer spending on underwear
In 2022, the average weekly expenditure on men's, women's, and children's undergarments in the United Kingdom was 1.1 pounds, 40 pence, and 30 pence respectively. The highest average weekly spend on men’s and women’s underwear was to be found among the age group of 50- to 64-year-olds, at 1.4 pounds a week for women and 50 pence for men. As could be expected, higher earners spent more per week on underwear.Overall, consumers are expected to spend more on underwear in the United Kingdom, as forecasts show that market revenue will steadily rise over the coming five years.
