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This research service provides research and analysis on the personal protective equipment (PPE) market in the UK and Ireland. The PPE market in the region is continually challenged by market dynamics, and now the industry is being significantly impacted by the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 respiratory syndrome, leading to increased demand for air purifying respirators across all the end-use industries. Preferences for ergonomic equipment with quality, comfort, and innovation, together with technology integration are the drivers of the overall demand for PPE in the region. Market participants have been ramping up production capacity to streamline their supply chains and meet the surge in demand. More precisely, in case of respiratory protection PPE market, the penetration rate of disposable respirators is likely to increase the most, followed by the demand for PAPR, which is expected to replace non-disposable respirators due to the tightening of legislative regulations related to fit testing protocol being applied over these elastomeric respirators. Furthermore, the demand for general-purpose gloves is likely to be boosted, owing to safety concerns. Among all PPE markets, above-the-neck, fall, and hand protection are the fastest-growing segments, with CAGRs of 3.1%, 2.7%, and 2.1%, respectively, from 2019 to 2024. Growth is expected due to a favourable change in consumer preference for using safety equipment at the workplace in the daily routine. Additionally, an increase in demand is expected from some major end-use industries like construction and pharmaceuticals. The degree of competition is high among global PPE giants due to the existence of regional level participants and distributors involved in selling their private labels along with their branded products. Global PPE participants dealing in disposable respirators, mechanical protection gloves, soft goods fall protection, and portable gas detectors are witnessing stiff competition from regional participants and distributors in terms of competitive prices, low cost imports, and product diversification. Overall, the PPE market is expected to feel a mild impact of the pandemic in 2020. However, the market will look forward to bounce back in 2021, with a significant growth in revenue to combat the impact and continue growing at a steady pace as per the historic trend before the pandemic.

The UK Government’s failure to conclude a trade deal with the European Union by the end of 2020 could have a significant impact on supply-chain disruptions, in terms of inaccessibility to cheap labour and raw material, delays at ports, and high distribution costs.