Unite's latest report has analysed nearly 17,000 companies in the UK and found that average profit margins have soared by 30% compared to the pre-pandemic period.

This report is the largest post-pandemic study of UK profit margins to date. We have exposed that corporate profiteering isn’t confined to just the largest companies or those in a select few sectors. Profits have spiralled out of control everywhere.

This report is the third in a series of contributions on profiteering. Our aim is simple: to uncover who has really profited from pandemic and the inflationary pressures that have followed.

Key Findings

• Average profit margins have increased by 30% across our sample of nearly 17,000 companies.
• In total, the companies we analysed made £156 billion more profit over 2021 and 2022 than if margins had stayed at 2018 levels. That’s equivalent to £5,500 extra spent by every UK household.
• The FTSE 350 companies are paying 20% more to their shareholders, through share buybacks and dividends, post-pandemic than they were pre-pandemic.
• Net investment by FTSE 350 companies also fell from £37 billion per half year in 2018 and 2019, to £9 billion between 2022 and 2023.

Full report available below: view or download the largest post-pandemic study of profiteering in the UK - click the image of the report below to view in full screen.

Profiteering 3