Booming design industry is worth £6.5 billion

Unique valuation study is published today

10th October 2000

New research published today puts an impressive £6.5 billion price tag on the business being done by the UK's design consultancies. And it makes clear the extent to which business has boomed for British design over the past few years.

The first comprehensive valuation of the design industry, commissioned by the Design Council and the British Design initiative, estimates a gross annual turnover of £6.5billion. Gross total fee income, in an industry, which now provides work for 76-thousand people, is set at just under £5billion.

The research also shows that, since the mid-1990's, the number of design consultancies has mushroomed by around a third to four thousand. During that same period, the value of design as a UK export grew dramatically. Overseas fee income is now estimated to be £ 1-billion - three times more than the last Government estimate in 1995.

Andrew Summers, Chief Executive of the Design Council said today: 'This unique research quantifies the size of this industry more comprehensively than ever before. It demonstrates that UK design talent is being harnessed both at home and abroad.'

The new survey follows research published in the Design Council's Design in Britain 2000, which shows that businesses are increasingly using design as a strategic tool. Of the businesses surveyed 35% said design was integral to their operations - an increase of 11% from the equivalent figure for 1999 of 24%.

Later this month the Design Council will publish another research study valuing UK business spend on design, incorporating in-house activity as well as outsourced spend.

ends

notes to editors

1. A summary of the British Design Industry Survey 2000 is attached.

2. The Design Council promotes the value of effective design to UK industry and aims to influence government policy to inspire the best use of design by the UK in order to improve prosperity and quality of life. Among its wide range of activity is Design in Business Week and Design in Education Week run annually in October and March respectively. It organises exhibitions to showcase British design and innovation in the UK and worldwide.

For media enquiries contact:

Steve Annett on 020 7420 5239/ 0976 557 880 / stevea@designcouncil.org.uk

Nell Cozens on 020 7420 5273/07803 945 260 / nellc@designcouncil.org.uk

Jan Dekker on 020 7420 5269 / jand@designcouncil.org.uk

3. The British Design Initiative is an internationally recognised agency that provides a focal point for British design. Established since 1993, it has built strong and trusted relationships with the UK's leading design agencies and with official design bodies, government and key media. Increasingly the British Design Initiative is working with those brand owners who strategically seek to align themselves with the design profession or provide products and services to the profession. The BDI owns an accurate database of UK design agencies; design media, design awards and professional design bodies internationally. It currently has direct access to estimate 85% of the entire UK market.

For media enquiries contact Christine Losecaat on 020 7384 3435