Kantar tops new MRS league tables

Kantar had a turnover of £469.5m in 2021, placing it in the top spot in the top 100 individual agencies table (ranked by turnover), compiled by MRS. 

The company also ranked in first place in the table of consolidated businesses, which draws agencies together under ownership groups. 

BMG Research ranked top of the table of fastest growing individual agencies.

The top 100 individual agencies generated total turnover of £4.452bn in 2021, with overall year-on-year growth within the top 100 agencies at 6.4%. The report also estimates that the UK research, insights and analytics industry is worth £8bn. 

The league tables are based on 2021 financial data collected and analysed in 2022. Rankings are based on UK turnover or turnover from work invoiced from the UK. 

Jane Frost, chief executive, MRS, said: “The numbers in the tables tell a complicated story of post Covid recovery among the top 100 individual agencies, from 0.8% growth in 2020 to 6.4% in 2021. The research industry is now worth over £8bn to the UK. That alone is a number worth celebrating.

“2021-22 was a year of respite before a fresh slew of momentous events impacted the economic climate: the war in Ukraine; a fractious change of leadership in the UK government; the first bite of recession and the unfolding cost of living crisis. This snatch of sunshine and new growth has been overshadowed once again by the dark clouds of uncertainty.”

The report also contains findings from the new bi-annual MRS Business Sentiment Monitor, which surveys business owners about expectations for their own business, the industry as a whole and the UK economy. 

The survey found a reassessment in industry expectations over the last six months. Those who expected the industry to grow in the next 12 months – 20% ( 13 companies) – were outweighed by those who anticipated a decline – 28% ( 18 companies), while 50% of respondents predicted no change ( 32 companies).

Frost added: “Looking to 2023, our new Business Sentiment Monitor predicts only 4% growth on average for supply side businesses. We must all work together to protect this growth, small that it is, so as not to let clients and C suite lose sight of the value of research and insight; not as discretionary spend but as a critical strategic investment.”

A list of the top 50 individual agencies by turnover can be found here.

The Research Live Industry Report 2023 can be found here.