BOSS/GfK Panelmarket - Summary for September 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) September 2025.

Total Data (Panelmarket)

• 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.
• 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, and another retraction in August. Sales did improve slightly in September to just over £126 million – 4.6% up from August, but 3% down from September 2024. Generally, sales in 2025 have tracked the monthly levels in 2024; they have just been a little bit lower.
• Average piece price was £1.76 in September 2025 – 2.7% below September 2024.
• Sales in the 12 months to September 2025 were just over £1.5 billion – 3.4% lower than sales in the 12 months to September 2024.
• Average piece price in the 12 months to September 2025 was £2.04 – 4.3% below the £2.13 recorded in the 12 months to September 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