Beauty and hair salons contribute £283 million to the Welsh economy

Beauty and hair salons contribute up to £283 million a year to the Welsh economy, found new research from Welsh hair and beauty training provider ISA Training.

There are 2,418 hair and beauty salons in Wales employing almost 11,000 people, up from 10,755 in 2016, showing that these businesses make a significant contribution to the economy through job creation and skills provision.

Of the 11,000-people employed in these salons, 9,000 are permanent employees and 2,000 apprentices – representing 4.1% of all apprenticeship programmes undertaken in Wales in 2015/2016, the report found.

The data has also highlighted the sector’s ability to contribute to the Welsh economy in terms of assisting in wealth distribution, by providing employment opportunities in some of the most deprived areas of Wales.

For example, hair and beauty salons employ more than 5,700 people in West Wales and the Valleys region, aligning with the goals of the Welsh Government’s tackling Poverty Action Plan.

95% of all hair and beauty businesses are also micro-businesses, with significant numbers of employees as sole-traders and with young people potentially developing entrepreneurial skills – with data showing that this is almost three times the national average.

Those working in these businesses are also highly skilled, the data revealed, with almost two-thirds (63%) of permanent employees holding Level 3 qualifications (A-Level equivalent).

“With 2,418 businesses employing almost 11,000 people, the sector is a key employer and, unlike many service and retail sectors, it guarantees that money earned in a locality is spent and retained in Wales,” said Shirley Davis-Fox, chief executive of ISA Training and the Hair and Barber Council’s political director and board member for Wales.

“Hair, barbering and beauty salons are the heartbeat of Welsh high streets, boosting the local economy, keeping communities alive and developing entrepreneurial skills. They provide essential services that we all need.”

You can read The Economic Impact and Value of the Hair and Beauty Sector on the Welsh Economy report in full here.