Use our industry guide to find key background information, market research, import and export guidelines, statistics, legislation, trade bodies and trade publications.
The Business & Industry Guides series is produced by the Library & Information Service for ICAEW members and ACA students.
We can compile tailored key players reports, mailing lists, market reports, benchmarking reports and industry news. Our enquiry team can also research other industry-specific information, such as taxation, for you. Call us on +44 (0)20 7920 8620 or email library@icaew.com.
Trends and forecasts
The library provides full access to articles from leading business, finance and management journals to ICAEW members and students.
Market research
Market research reports focusing on this business sector are available from a number of market research specialists. In most cases these reports are available to fee-paying subscribers or on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Some free information is available from the following market research specialists, ranging from industry news to executive summaries of the reports.
Euromonitor
A full listing of reference products and research reports for the camera market from Euromonitor, with a range of global, country and company level reports. Each report provides a contents listing and a useful executive summary reporting on the key trends in each country report.
IBISWorld
Business and industry research specialists offering reports on a wide range of sectors, including photographic activities. Report snapshots, table of contents and a sample report are available. The company also produces global industry research reports.
Industry news
Statistics on the UK
Office for National Statistics
The Annual Business Survey (ABS) from the Office for National Statistics collects financial information covering UK production, construction, distribution and service industries. Statistics available include:
- number of enterprises;
- total turnover;
- approximate gross value added at basic prices;
- total purchases of goods, materials and services;
- total employment costs;
- total net capital expenditure;
- total net capital expenditure – acquisitions;
- total net capital expenditure – disposals;
- total stocks and work in progress – value at end of year;
- total stocks and work in progress – value at beginning of year;
- total stocks and work in progress – increase during year.
The dataset Non-financial business economy, UK: Sections A to S includes statistics for:
- Postal and courier activities (53.00)
See Section H: Transportation and storage
Statistics on Europe
Eurostat
Eurostat, the EU statistics hub, collates detailed Structural Business Statistics giving the latest figures for industry, construction, trade and services by sector and country. The indicators available include:
- number of enterprises
- turnover or gross premiums written
- production value
- value added at factor cost
- gross operating surplus
- wages and salaries
- social security costs
- gross investment in tangible goods
- gross investment in land
- gross investment in existing buildings and structures
- gross investment in construction and alteration of buildings
- gross investment in machinery and equipment
- number of employees
- number of persons employed per enterprise.
Statistics within the database are available for:
- Manufacture of optical instruments and photographic (C267)
See database section ‘SBS – industry and construction’ - Photographic activities (M742)
See database section ‘SBS – services’
Global statistics
INDSTAT
The UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) collects and compiles industrial statistics known as INDSTAT, which give information on:
- number of employees
- number of establishments
- output
- value added
- total wages and salaries.
Statistics by country are available for:
- Optical instruments and photographic equipment (3320)
UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database (Comtrade)
The UN compiles and publishes international import and export statistics in the Commodity Trade Statistics Database (Comtrade), giving figures for goods traded by value, quantity and weight for each country.
Statistics are available for:
- Photographic or cinematographic goods (37)
UN Industrial Commodity Statistics Database
The UN provides statistics on the quantity of goods produced by country in the Industrial Commodity Statistics Database.
Figures are available for:
- Still image video cameras and other video cameras; digital cameras (47)
- Objective lenses for cameras, projectors or photographic enlargers or reducers (48)
- Photographic (other than cinematographic) cameras (48)
- Photographic plates, film and paper (48)
Employment
UK
The Office for National Statistics publication Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) includes average employment costs within this sector which can be found in Table 14. Average employment costs are provided for full-time employees, part-time employees and all employees.
The data includes average employment costs for photographers and audio-visual equipment operators.
The annual Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES), published by the Office for National Statistics, includes total employee and employment estimates for different industries for Great Britain and the UK. Figures are broken down to show full-time/part-time and public/private splits. The dataset Industry – Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES): Table 2 includes statistics for:
- Manufacture of photographic and cinematographic equipment (26702)
- Photographic activities (742)
Other regions
Please see individual country profile pages for links to sources of national statistics.
Import and export
Trade Tariff
The Trade Tariff is a useful Gov.uk database listing tax, duties and licenses for the import and export of goods between the UK and other countries. The database is searchable by product or commodity code and results can be filtered by date and country. Information also includes links to relevant conditions and regulations.
See import and export information for:
- photographic or cinematographic goods
- photographic (other than cinematographic) cameras; photographic flashlight apparatus and flashbulbs
- apparatus and equipment for photographic (including cinematographic) laboratories, not specified or included elsewhere in thischapter; negatoscopes; projection screens
UK business guides
Croner-i Business Focus
Business Focus is a resource that provides practical information on many small business trades and sectors. Its Business Opportunity Profiles offer detailed insights into market conditions, legal issues and the trading environment for a range of businesses. They include:
- Photographers
Mini Business Opportunity Profiles are also available and provide a general introduction to more niche business areas, including:
- Photo minilab
- Photo restoration and editing service
- Photographic equipment shop
To find out more about Business Focus, please contact our enquiry team on +44 (0)20 7920 8620 or at library@icaew.com.
Atom Content Marketing guides
The Start Up Donut from Atom Content Marketing provides practical information on starting up and running a number of small business types. Guides cover a range of areas including market research, current trends, regulations, products and services, promotion and pricing. They include:
UK key players, ratios and trends
UK benchmarking
Trade bodies
The websites of trade bodies in this sector are a useful source of industry overviews, contacts and statistics.
UK
- Association of International Courier and Express Services (AICES)
- National Courier and Despatch Association (NCDA)
- Institute of Couriers (IOC)
- Mail Carriers Association (MCA)
Europe
- Associazione delle Agenzie di Recapito Espressi (ARE) (Italy)
- Associazione Nazionale Imprese Servizi Postali (ASSOPOSTE) (Italy)
- Bundesverband der Kurier-Express-Post-Dienste (BdKEP) (Germany)
- European Express Association (EEA)
- PostEurop
- Türkiye Kargo, Kurye Ve Lojistik İşletmecileri Derneği (Türkiye KARID)
Americas
- Canadian Courier and Logistics Association (CCLA)
- Express Association of America (EAA)
- Messenger Courier Association of America (MCAA)
Asia
Global
Trade journals and publications
Trade journals, B2B magazines and specialist consumer magazines are another useful source of news and statistics.
Further reading
Articles and books in the Library collection
To find out how you can borrow books from the Library please see our guide to book loans.
You can obtain copies of articles or extracts of books and reports by post or email through our document supply service.
Can't find what you're looking for?
The ICAEW Library can give you the right information from trustworthy, professional sources that aren't freely available online. Contact us for expert help with your enquiries and research.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information given in this Business & Industry Guide is correct. However, the content of websites changes frequently and users should satisfy themselves that the information they contain is suitable for the purposes for which they wish to use it. We would be grateful to receive notification of any broken links at library@icaew.com.
