BOSS/GfK Panelmarket - Summary for May 2025

BOSS/GfK Panelmarket

GfK track and audit 36 product categories in the Office & Stationery sector and produces time comparable data for Sales Value, Sales Units/Packs and Sales Pieces – as well as calculating an average pack price and sales price.

Data is now split across two Retail channels and one B2B channel (Systemhouses) - these combine to provide the overall Panelmarket total, the Retail channels encompass around 90% of the Panelmarket total.  GfK estimate that the overall total for the 36 selected products, as reported in the Panelmarket, covers around 75% of the estimated UK market total for the 36 selected products.

Latest available data is up to (and including) May 2025.

Total Data (Panelmarket)

• In 2023 – sales in January and February tracked marginally below the monthly comparisons to 2022 and sales in March were marginally above the annual comparison. Sales in April started to diverge below, sales picked up in May, contracted in June, rebounded in July, fell back in August, improved slightly in September, more strongly in October, but fell back in November and December. Sales were below 2022 and 2021 levels from March – the divergence was more pronounced in the last three months of the year. Sales in 2023 were 4.6% below 2022.
• In 2024 – there was an improvement in January, but still well short in comparison to previous Januarys. As expected, there was a big downturn in February, less expected was the continued decline into March. There was a further decline in April, and, this time, the expected improvement did materialise in May. However, also as expected, June was a tougher month. The expected strong upturn in July did materialise – though it remained below the level from previous years. A bigger than expected downturn in August was followed by a lacklustre recovery in September, a stronger pick-up in October, and declines in November and December. Sales in 2024 were 5.3% below 2023.
• Sales in January 2025 picked up from December but remained below the level from January 2024. The seasonal drop in February was more-or-less in line with previous years, sales in March decreased further, and sales in April continued the decline. However, there was strong growth in May, to just over £138 million – 33.1% up from April, but still 2.9% below May 2024.
• Average piece price was £2.21 in May 2025 – 5.6% below May 2024.
• Sales in the 12 months to May 2025 were over £1.5 billion – 4.6% lower than sales in the 12 months to May 2024.
• Average piece price in the 12 months to May 2025 was £2.05 – 5.6% below the £2.17 recorded in the 12 months to May 2024.

Click here to download the full BOSS/GfK Panelmarket report and a file depicting the latest sales charts for the consumer, retail and systemhouse channels.

Source: BOSS/GfK Panelmarket, www.bossfederation.com