Utilizing AI for Enhanced Operations Optimization Strategies

Trading businesses were asked how their turnover in January 2026 compared with December 2025, excluding any seasonal trading. Data are plotted in the middle of the duration of each wave. Almost a 3rd (31%) of trading organizations reported that their turnover had decreased in January 2026 compared to the previous month.

Nevertheless, the motions are broadly in line with those observed around this time in previous years, with peaks in December followed by small falls in January. The markets with the highest proportion reporting that turnover decreased in January 2026 were: the lodging and food service activities market (52%, which is a 21 percentage point rise from December 2025) the other services market (45%) the arts, entertainment and leisure industry (40%) Roughly 16% of trading organizations reported that their turnover increased in January 2026, which was a 3 portion point increase compared with December 2025.

For trading businesses with 10 or more workers, 33% reported that their turnover had reduced, which was broadly stable compared with December and January 2025. More than one in five (23%) services reported that their turnover had increased, up 2 percentage points compared to December 2025. Typically, the percentage of organizations reporting that their turnover increased correlated to the size of the company.

The exception to this was the percentage for companies with 250 or more staff members, which was 25%, and 5 percentage points lower than December 2025 (30%). Trading companies were asked how they anticipate their turnover to alter in the coming month. This can then be used to forecast how the service's turnover will actually change as soon as that calendar month concludes.

Why Digital Transformation Redefines Mid-Market Efficiency

Although trends between anticipated turnover and actual turnover have broadly relocated the same instructions, the motions for expectations tend to be bigger. For presentational purposes, some action alternatives have actually been removed. Data are plotted in the middle of the duration of each wave. Care should be taken when interpreting expectations questions, as the employees responding on behalf of businesses might not have full oversight of all of their business's future expectations.

ANSR July UK PRs

More than one in 5 (21%) trading businesses expect their turnover to increase in March 2026. This is a 6 portion point rise from February 2026 however was broadly stable compared to expectations for March 2025 (22%). The proportion of trading organizations anticipating an increase in January 2026 was 13%, while the percentage that reported an actual boost in turnover in January 2026 was 16%, suggesting a minor pessimism in businesses expectations.

The trends have broadly followed each other since the concerns were introduced in April 2022. The outcomes for March 2026 follow the pattern from previous years, with the percentage of organizations anticipating turnover to increase peaking after a decline in January. Bigger services were most likely to anticipate a boost in turnover in March, with the proportion varying from 20% for organizations with 0 to 9 employees, to 42% for companies with 100 to 249 workers.

For presentational purposes, some action options have been removed. Information are outlined in the middle of the period of each wave. Care needs to be taken when translating expectations questions, as the employees responding on behalf of companies may not have full oversight of all of their service's future expectations. "." represents data not yet readily available.

Future VC Capital Funding Empowering Growing Enterprises

The proportion of trading organizations that expected a reduction in January 2026 was 25%, while the percentage that reported an actual decline in turnover in January 2026 was 31%. The proportion of organizations expecting turnover to reduce for a specific month ahead of time has remained significantly lower than the proportion of businesses reporting a real decrease because month since April 2022.

Expectations for turnover to reduce have regularly followed the very same trend, as real reported turnover reduces throughout this time. Trading businesses were asked what obstacles, if any, were impacting their turnover in early February 2026. Around 3 in 10 (30%) trading organizations reported that financial unpredictability was having an effect on their turnover, which was broadly stable with early January 2026.

This is broadly steady compared with early January 2026 and 2 portion points down compared to a year ago. For trading services with 10 or more staff members, cost of labour was the most regularly reported challenge, at 36%. This was broadly stable compared with early January 2026. Services with 10 to 49 workers were most likely to report cost of labour as a challenge than organizations with 250 or more employees (37%, compared with 20%). One in five (20%) trading organizations with 10 or more employees indicated that they were not presently experiencing any turnover difficulties in early February 2026. More details on financial performance, consisting of all response alternatives categorised by industry and size band, are offered in our accompanying dataset.