Increase in client frequency indicates positive future for salons

More than a third of UK salon owners plan to increase their staff base in the coming 12 months, indicating operator confidence for growth in the industry. According to the third annual Beautiful Britain report, 37% of salons intend to take on new team members, with many employers favouring part-time employees.

The average number of part-time staff members employed in a salon rose 53% year on year in 2014, from 1.5 to 2.3, while the average number of full-time staff rose just 9% from 2.3 to 2.5. The report estimates that there will 21,000 new jobs created in 2014.

The report, which was commissioned by Salon Services and surveyed 2,222 salons across the country, also found the average treatment prices has come down as salons bid to compete in the market. However, the frequency of treatments has come up, with female clients going for a tanning treatment every 3.1 weeks, up from every 5.1 weeks in 2013, and for manicures every 3.1 weeks, up from 4.4 last year.

Alan Revitt, commercial and marketing director at Salon Services, said, “It’s clear that, despite a challenging few years on the high street, the UK’s beauty industry remains resilient. Salons have shown real entrepreneurial spirit, adapting their business models and branching into new markets, and this is clearly starting to pay off.”