Researching industry sectors

In the UK, the ONS publishes detailed datasets on business and economic activity by industry. For example, the Non-financial business economy dataset provides financial information (number of enterprises, turnover, gross value added, etc.) for a wide range of UK industries, as measured by the Annual Business Survey. Meanwhile, the Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES) dataset includes annual employee and employment estimates by industry, and the Index of Production provides figures on the outputs of production industries.

Industry data in ONS releases is often categorised by Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes. Identifying the relevant SIC code for your sector can help you locate specific datasets.

It should be noted that many ONS series have statistical bulletins summarising key trends – see those on UK business; activity, size and location, for example – which can serve as a helpful starting point before diving into raw data tables.

There are various official statistical agencies operating in jurisdictions around the world, with some jurisdictions having more than one such body.

To take one example, the EU’s Eurostat operates a data portal which provides access to a range of statistics on industry, trade, and services. For instance, the Structural business statistics database tracks the structure, conduct and performance of economic activities over time, down to the most detailed activity level. Additionally, the Prodcom database provides statistics on the production of manufactured goods by enterprises in EU countries. In the Eurostat databases, sectors are identified using NACE codes, the European equivalent of SIC.

For those researching industry sectors in the United States, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is an invaluable source, providing detailed data on employment, wages, productivity, prices and more across a wide range of industries (browsable in Alphabetical order by industry or in NAICS number order). The US Census Bureau, meanwhile, produces complementary economic data, covering topics such as international trade and business and workforce dynamics.

National governments, regulators, and legislative bodies produce publications which can help you to understand how an industry is structured, regulated and expected to develop. They often provide statistics, policy statements, and evidence from market participants that are hard to find elsewhere.

In the UK, central government departments publish various industry-specific documents and sets of statistics. For instance, the Industrial Strategy Sector Plans published in 2025 set out long-term priorities and policy levers for eight key sectors through to 2035, as well as providing helpful snapshots of the sectors as they currently stand. On the data front, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero produces the yearly Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES), and the Office for Life Sciences produces bioscience and health technology sector statistics, for example. In many cases, government data is collated and made available via the centralised data.gov.uk portal.

Parliamentary select committee publications may also provide valuable insights into the state of UK industries. The Culture, Media and Sport Committee’s ‘British film and high-end television 2’ inquiry, for instance, generated oral evidence, written submissions, a committee report and a subsequent government response – together providing a detailed picture of the industry’s challenges, workforce issues and investment climate.

Sector regulators are another notable source. For example, Ofgem issues ‘State of the energy market’ reports (such as the April 2025 energy retail market report), and Ofcom publishes annual Communications Market Reports (statistical surveys of developments in the communications sector).

Elsewhere in the world, equivalent bodies also publish industry-focused materials that can offer valuable insights. For example, in the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issues reports about specific topics of interest in sectors such as technology and healthcare, while the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) publishes annual reviews of communications markets (see the 2024 Communications Marketplace Report, for example).

In Australia, meanwhile, the Department of Industry, Science and Resources periodically issues documents on matters pertaining to particular industries (the December 2025 National AI Plan is one example), as do parliamentary committees such as the Standing Committee on Industry, Innovation and Science.

Several intergovernmental organisations (IGOs) offer publicly accessible data which are especially useful for benchmarking global industry trends, identifying structural shifts, and placing national industry performance in international context.

For example, the United Nations’ UNIDO Statistics Portal (notably the INDSTAT industrial statistics databases) provides industry-specific statistics (output, employees, value added, etc.) for a range of countries. Meanwhile, the UN Comtrade database is a leading source for international trade data by product and country, allowing researchers to study export and import patterns for specific commodity-based industries.

The OECD Data Explorer similarly provides access to a range of sectoral indicators, crucially enabling comparison across OECD member countries. Here, the Structural Analysis (STAN) database is particularly noteworthy – it offers industry-level time series on output, value added, labour input, investment and capital stock from 1970 onwards. The portal also contains complementary datasets on productivity by industry and business enterprise R&D expenditure by industry.

Some industry-specific IGOs such as the International Energy Agency (IEA) also publish detailed data and analysis in their respective fields.

Additionally, some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) produce analyses of particular industries – with their approaches tending to be coloured by the social or political issues with which they are primarily concerned. For instance, the World Economic Forum (WEF) produces a diverse range of ‘Industries in Depth’ publications, many of which focus on key overarching issues of concern to the Forum, such as AI-led transformation, sustainability, and global cooperation.

Large accounting firms and consultancies often publish free industry reports which provide insights into sector trends, challenges and opportunities. These are especially useful for understanding high-level strategic issues and future outlooks.

For example, PwC periodically release outlook and forecast reports covering industries such as construction and hotels. Meanwhile, Deloitte publish similar reports on a diverse range of areas, from semiconductors to the automotive industry. Some reports, such as those in KPMG’s Aviation Leaders Report series, draw on interviews with industry executives.

Several specialist consultancies also publish industry reports and other similar outputs. McKinsey, Bain and BCG, for example, produce sector-specific content covering key overarching topics such as digital transformation, consumer behaviour, and sustainability.

Most of these publications are accessible through firms’ websites under “Insights”, “Industries” or similar; many are updated annually or quarterly, so it is worth checking occasionally for the latest edition.

Trade associations and professional bodies often collect data from their members or conduct research for advocacy purposes. As a result, their websites and publications can be useful sources of industry insights, statistics, and contacts.

For example, many associations publish annual reports or fact sheets about their industry. In the automotive sector, the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA) compiles global production and sales statistics. In the music industry, UK Music publishes annual This Is Music reports which set out key statistics on the industry’s economic contribution.

In addition, trade bodies often commission surveys or research on specific issues (such as skills gaps or investment trends). For instance, in 2025 the National Hair & Beauty Federation published a report titled “Straightening Out the Costs”, which examined the impact of the 2024 Autumn Budget on the hair and beauty sector.

Some such organisations also maintain member directories which can be a helpful source of industry contacts. Animation UK, for example, has a searchable member directory on its website.

When consulting resources published by professional organisations and trade bodies, it’s worth remembering that these organisations advocate for their respective industries, and so may occasionally present views which might be considered one-sided.

Trade journals and industry magazines are another valuable source of industry analysis. They can be particularly helpful for staying informed on niche issues that broader market reports or statistics might not cover in real time.

Publications such as The Grocer (for the food retail sector), FlightGlobal or Aviation Week (for aerospace), Oil & Gas Journal, Retail Week, etc., often contain articles covering market trends, emerging challenges, and expert opinions. They may also publish industry statistics or rankings (eg, top companies lists, or annual industry surveys).

Many offer free online content, but in some cases full articles are accessible only to paying subscribers.

The ICAEW Library maintains a range of in-depth industry profiles, providing key insights into recent performance, market segmentation, trends, challenges, and opportunities.

A wide range of sectors are covered – from aerospace to hairdressing to pharmaceuticals – and new profiles are added periodically.

• Explore our industry profiles

We can produce reports on a wide range of sectors using selected information from the FAME company database.

Four types of report are available to ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users:

• Key players reports
  

  These provide data on the top companies (by turnover) in any one of the segments within a given sector.

• Mailing lists
  

  These provide address and contact details for the top companies in any of the segments within a given sector.

• Market reports
  

  These provide aggregated data for the top companies (by turnover) for any of the segments within a given sector.

• Benchmarking reports
  

  These provide financial data for companies within an industry or business sector and UK region.

Further information and online order forms can be found on our industry sector reports and benchmarking reports pages.

We also operate a bespoke reports service with results tailored to your specifications. Please contact our enquiry team on +44 (0)20 7920 8620 or at library@icaew.com to discuss your requirements.

A number of commercial market research firms produce in-depth reports on industries, which often draw together data from numerous sources. They tend to cover topics such as market size, competitor shares, consumer trends, and future outlook.

Key players in this space include:

• IBISWorld
• Euromonitor International
• Mintel
• NielsenIQ (NIQ)

Reports from these firms are generally paywalled, with access being limited to subscribers or one-off purchasers. However, firms often publish free summaries of their reports on their websites. These overviews highlight key trends, market drivers, and challenges, providing useful pointers for initial research even if you don’t have access to the full report.