UK FRANCHISE STATISTICS 

• The contribution of franchising to the UK economy is now reckoned to be £15.1 billion, an increase of 46% over the past 10 years and up 10% since the last survey in 2013.
• The total number of people employed in franchising in the UK is 621,000, of which 321,000 are in full-time employment. This equates to an increase of 70% over the past 10 years.
• The number of franchisee-owned businesses has increased by 14% in two years, to 44,200. On average, those businesses are also becoming larger as the sector matures - average turnover continues to rise and over half now claim an annual turnover of more than £250,000. Employment per unit continues its upwards trajectory, with one-third now employing 10 or more staff.
• A record 97% of franchisee-owned units reported profitability, with 56% saying they are ‘quite’ or ‘very’ profitable.
• Ownership changes in franchisee businesses are correspondingly low (4.6%), with failure rates much lower than for other SMEs generally
• Franchisees’ satisfaction with their franchisor has never been higher, with 91% saying they are ‘mainly’ or ‘definitely’ satisfied.
• Some 29% of franchisees now run multiple units.
• 80% of franchise brands in this country are UK-owned and developed.
• One in five franchisees who launched their business in the last two years was under 30 years old when they did so.