Contract catering market size in the UK
✓ Official figures, every one sourcedThe contract catering market in the UK was worth £7.9bn[3] in 2024, measured by the total turnover of businesses in the industry, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Turnover, 2020 to 2024
| Year | Total turnover | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | £4,008 million[3] | Reported |
| 2021 | £4,169 million[3] | Reported |
| 2022 | £6,089 million[3] | Reported |
| 2023 | £7,902 million[3] | Reported |
| 2024 | £7,857 million[3] | Reported |
Turnover in the wider industry, Food and beverage service activities (SIC 56), changed by +6.7%[4] in 2025 compared with 2024. This is the wider industry, not contract catering alone.
Key figures, 2024
| Total turnover | £7,857 million[3] |
| Approximate gross value added | £4,166 million[3] |
| Enterprises | 3,918[3] |
What this figure measures
The total turnover of businesses whose main activity is this industry, from official business statistics. It's the industry's sales, including exports and excluding VAT. It isn't the same as what customers in the UK spend on these products, which would also include imports.
Common questions
What is the market size of the contract catering industry in the UK?
£7.9bn in 2024[3], measured by the total turnover of businesses in the industry, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Has the contract catering market in the UK grown?
Turnover changed by +96.0%[3] between 2020 and 2024 (not adjusted for inflation). The latest official signal is +6.7%[4] in 2025 for the wider industry.
How many businesses are in the contract catering industry in the UK?
3,918 enterprises in 2024[3].
How does the UK compare with other European countries?
The UK is the third largest of the 5 countries we cover for this industry in 2024, behind Germany and France. See the comparison above.
Where do these figures come from?
From official business statistics published by the Office for National Statistics. We don't estimate or model anything: every number is either published by official statisticians or calculated directly from those figures (percentage changes and currency conversion), and each one links to its source. How we work.
Notes on these figures
- 2025 growth is for the wider industry (Food and beverage service activities (SIC 56)), not this industry alone. Official 2025 figures for this industry aren't published yet.
- UK figures are ONS 'total turnover'; other countries show Eurostat 'net turnover'. The measures are close but not identical, so compare with care.
Sources
- Eurostat, Euro/ECU exchange rates - annual data (dataset
ert_bil_eur_a). Retrieved 24 September 2026; source updated 2026-07-08. Source link. Eurostat reuse policy (Commission Decision 2011/833/EU), attribution required - Eurostat, Enterprises by detailed NACE Rev. 2 activity and special aggregates (dataset
sbs_ovw_act). Retrieved 24 September 2026; source updated 2026-09-15. Source link. Eurostat reuse policy (Commission Decision 2011/833/EU), attribution required - ONS, Annual Business Survey: UK non-financial business economy, sections A to S (dataset
abssectionsas). Retrieved 24 September 2026; source updated 2026-05-26. Source link. Open Government Licence v3.0, attribution required - ONS, Monthly Business Survey: turnover of services industries (dataset
mbs_services). Retrieved 24 September 2026. Source link. Open Government Licence v3.0, attribution required
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