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Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers in the UK Industry Data and Analysis
Over the five years through 2025–26, industry revenue is projected to surge at a compound annual rate of 19.7% to reach £2.3 billion. The UK’s medical and orthopaedic supplies retailers have benefitted from a dramatic demographic shift, with the ONS data from June 2023 showing that 18.6% of the UK population were aged 65 or over. Major chains have responded by expanding their high-street and digital presence, investing in telehealth, home-monitoring technology and higher-margin own-brand product lines. These moves have paid off, with revenue in 2025–26 anticipated to climb 8.5%, while profit margins have rebounded as energy and freight costs ease, VAT relief expands and retailers focus on more profitable product categories. Profitability remains consistently stronger than in the wider retail sector, as specialist offerings and stable demand from consumers with essential needs help insulate medical supplies retailers from wider market volatility.
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What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2015-2030. The most recent publication was released August 2025.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom operates under the SIC industry code G47.740. Companies in this industry retail medical and orthopaedic equipment, including mobility aids, hearing aids and other orthopaedic equipment. Retailers also test and fit customers with the products. This industry excludes wholesaling and optical product retailing and online-only retailers. Related terms covered in the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom include orthopaedics, prosthesis, audiologist, clinical commissioning group, auriscopes and audiometers.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom include Hearing aids and tests, Mobility aids and Orthotic and prosthetic equipment.
What companies are included in this industry?
Companies covered in the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom include Specsavers Optical Group Ltd, Boots Hearingcare Ltd and Hidden Hearing Ltd.
Performance
What's included in the Performance chapter?
The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.
Products & Markets
What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?
The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed products and service segmentation and analysis of major markets for the for the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.
Geographic Breakdown
What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?
The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.
Competitive Forces
What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?
The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.
Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.
Companies
What's included in the Companies chapter?
The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.
Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.
External Environment
What's included in the External Environment chapter?
The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.
Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.
Financial Benchmarks
What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?
The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.
Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.
Industry Data
What's included in the Industry Data chapter?
The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom in 2026?
The market size of the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom is £2.3bn in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?
There are 1,885 businesses in the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom, which has grown at a CAGR of 2.6 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom?
The Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom?
The Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom has been growing at a CAGR of 19.7 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom?
The biggest companies operating in the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom are Specsavers Optical Group Ltd, Boots Hearingcare Ltd and Hidden Hearing Ltd
What does the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom include?
Hearing aids and tests and Mobility aids are part of the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom?
The company holding the most market share in the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom is Specsavers Optical Group Ltd.
How competitive is the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom?
The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Medical & Orthopaedic Supplies Retailers industry in the United Kingdom.
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