Nina Jobst
Research expert covering South Korea
Jeans in the UK - statistics & facts
The trouser market in the United Kingdom generates around 10 billion British pounds a year, and some of the most popular types of trousers are jeans. One of the main benefits of jeans is their versatility. Initially invented as workwear, jeans can now be worn in a wide range of situations, whether for work, parties, or part of a ‘smart casual’ outfit. There is also a wide range of prices for jeans, with the average price of trousers in the UK at around 30 British pounds and the most expensive luxury jeans in 2023 costing 8,850 pounds.
Unsurprisingly, considering the drop in women’s jeans manufacture, the value of exports of these products has also dropped considerably over recent years, falling to 42.7 million pounds in 2022. Imports have also dropped since 2019, although not as severely. 283 million pounds’ worth of women's or girls' cotton denim trousers were imported to the UK in 2022.
UK jeans manufacture and trade
In the UK, the manufacture of women’s and girls’ jeans has decreased drastically in recent years. In 2022, the volume of women’s and girls’ jeans sold more than halved compared to the number of jeans manufactured in 2014. The same cannot be said for men’s and boys’ jeans, as the sales value and sales volume spiked in 2016. Since then, the manufacture has remained relatively constant. The number of women’s jeans produced nevertheless remains considerably higher overall.Unsurprisingly, considering the drop in women’s jeans manufacture, the value of exports of these products has also dropped considerably over recent years, falling to 42.7 million pounds in 2022. Imports have also dropped since 2019, although not as severely. 283 million pounds’ worth of women's or girls' cotton denim trousers were imported to the UK in 2022.
Consumer trends
According to analyses of Google searches in 2023, Levi’s was the most searched for jeans brand in the UK, accounting for almost four million searches between May 2022 and April 2023. Gucci followed closely behind, and Calvin Klein made up the top three, with almost 2.6 million searches. Despite claiming the top spot, the searches for Levi’s jeans in the UK have seen a negative trend compared to the same period in the previous two years.
