Consumer sentiment, business confidence, and the state of the UK economy are all closely intertwined, so it will come as no surprise that the past year has proved a challenge for brands – whose fortunes depend on all of those factors.
Collectively, the UK’s top 75 most valuable brands have a total brand value of $242 billion. Highlights from this latest report, which is based on the opinions of more than 150,000 people reveal:
- Vodafone is the most valuable UK brand for the seventh consecutive year, with a brand value of $26.1bn
- HSBC ($18.9bn) is the second most valuable brand, followed by Shell ($18.1bn)
- Johnnie Walker has entered the top five for the first time, growing its value to $10.9bn
- Dove ($6.3bn) and Cadbury ($6.0bn) have made it into the Top 10
- Newcomers to the UK ranking include Monzo Bank (No.72; $680m) and Premier Inn (No.74; $649m)
Infographic
Explore the infographic to see the top 10 most valuable UK brands, category performance and more. The most resilient UK brands are those that have invested in building their brand equity. This is a long-term game that pays dividends in good times and bad. When the market is buoyant and category demand is high, strong and valuable brands significantly outperform their competition; they drive higher market share and can command a premium price. In bad times, strong brands decline less than their competitors, and bounce back earlier.
Video
Watch the countdown video and discover the full list of the top 75 most valuable UK brands of today. The all-important consumer view on brands – a key contributor to the Kantar calculation of what makes a great and valuable brand – is still fighting fit. Our research shows that through the ups and downs of a pandemic, war in Europe and huge economic upheaval, UK consumers’ view on the top brands is remarkably consistent. These brands are seen as making people’s lives better in ways that really matter to them.
Methodology
To be eligible for inclusion in this ranking, the brand must have been created in the UK and be owned by an enterprise listed on a recognised stock exchange. For those owned by private companies, financial statements must be available in the public domain. English unicorn brands must have their most recent valuation publicly available. Learn more about the methodology behind Kantar BrandZ brand valuation rankings in this video, which presents the three-step process, which combines financial value and brand contribution to determine a brand’s value.
The effects of the intensifying cost-of-living crisis are already showing in the latest UK brand ranking results, with even some strong and successful brands facing pressure on profits. The bounce back that UK brands experienced following the impact of Covid-19 is now stuttering, with the total value of the UK’s Top 75 most valuable brands reaching $$283bn in 2022, a modest increase of 1% versus last year.
Vodafone is the UK’s most valuable brand, with a brand value of $32.6bn (+6%) and has achieved the top spot since 2017. As one of the world’s biggest telecom providers, it is the only UK brand to appear in Kantar BrandZ’s annual global brand ranking.
The Top 10 UK brands come from a range of six categories: Telecom Providers, Banks, Energy, Food and Beverages, Retail, and Alcohol. HSBC is at number two in the ranking ($17.7bn; +14%) and Shell is at number 3 ($15.4bn; +11%).
Three brands have accelerated their growth over the past 12 months, including: Revolut (No.15; $4.7bn; +479%), Wise (No.44; $1.7bn; +48%) and Costa Coffee (No.50; $1.4bn; +33%).
The brands that make their Top 75 debut in 2022 provide powerful lessons in how to thrive in challenging times. Newcomers to the ranking this year include: financial investments brands, St James’s Place (No.18; $4.1bn) and Hargreaves Landsdown (No.31; $2.5bn), premium drinks brand, Fever-Tree (No.58; $1.1bn) and pet retail store, Pets At Home (No.70; $876mn).
To weather the challenges ahead, brands need to identify how they can stand out from competitors and be perceived as different in consumers’ minds. Read more in the full report on how difference does not just underpin demand, it is a brand’s secret weapon in strengthening pricing margins.
Download the Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable UK Brands 2022 report
Download the Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable UK Brands 2022 infographic
The UK’s top 75 brands have staged a magnificent fightback, despite the immense challenges of the past year and a half. Kantar BrandZ’s Top 75 Most Valuable UK Brands 2021 have grown 22% in value since 2020, with an overall brand value totalling $278.8 billion. This is a higher combined value than the leading brands had even before anyone had heard of COVID-19.
The fastest risers and new entrants in this year’s ranking reflect lifestyle habits adopted during the pandemic. The four brands which grew the quickest in the past 12 months were all delivery specialists: Royal Mail (no.52, $1.4bn, +83%), Ocado (no.13, $5.7bn, +72%), ASOS (no.27, $2.8bn, +65%) and Deliveroo (no.25, $3.0bn, +58%). Following its merger in 2020, Just Eat Takeaway.com features at number 11 in this year’s ranking, with a brand value of $6.5 billion. Media and entertainment providers fared well too, with the Premier League gaining its inaugural inclusion in the top 75 – valued at $5.4 billion.
While the top UK brands have far outpaced the rate of economic growth predicted for the UK in 2021 (8%), they still face a monumental challenge. Even with this level of growth, the UK’s leading brands are falling behind the most valuable brands in the world.
Find out what UK brands need to do to compete on the global stage, and how the most valuable, dynamic and boldest UK brands are achieving Meaningful Difference despite all the challenges they face.
Download the Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable UK Brands 2021 report
Download the Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable UK Brands 2021 infographic