Although the beauty industry is booming, hair salons in the UK are in decline. The industry is struggling with spiralling costs, the number of people completing their apprenticeships has declined, and there are job retention issues, especially among junior hairdressers. These challenges are not new: salon closures pre-date both the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis. Nevertheless, they have been exacerbated by both of these events. Simultaneously, there has been a rise in the number of self-employed hairdressers, and other, less traditional set-ups outside the established “salon model”.

However, despite these challenges, there are businesses – both old and new – that still manage to thrive in this context. This suggests that there are opportunities for success. With change and innovation identified as a key characteristic of the industry, this report examines different ways of working, building new skills, and capitalising on technology and trends, which many of those in the industry have already embraced.

The qualitative and quantitative research conducted for this 2024 report aims to better understand the varied experiences of those working in the hairdressing industry, with a view to shining a light on some of the developments that have shaped the industry over the last decade or so and uncover some of the strategies that might help others succeed.