BOSS/GfK Panelmarket - Summary for May 2026

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 2026.

Total Data (Panelmarket)

• In 2025 – sales in January 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. Growth in May, was followed by a downturn in June, a pick-up in July, another retraction in August. There was then a slight pick-up in September before a further improvement in October. A strong downturn in November extended into December. Generally, sales in 2025 closely tracked the monthly levels in 2024; they have just been a little bit lower. Sales in 2025 were 5.1% below 2024 levels, according to the revised totals.
• In 2026 – there was an improvement in January (from December 2025), but sales in the tracked product categories continue to drop in the annual monthly comparisons. As expected, there was a significant drop in February, no improvement during March, and a slight deterioration in April. As expected, there was a strong pick-up in May, though not enough to take sales above the levels recorded in previous years. A downturn is likely to be experienced in June.
• Average piece price was £2.28 in May 2026 – only 0.4% below May 2025.
• Sales in the 12 months to May 2026 were just under £1.36 billion – 5.7% lower than sales in the 12 months to May 2025.
• Average piece price in the 12 months to May 2026 was £2.02 – 2.9% below the £2.08 recorded in the 12 months to May 2025.

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