Over the last few years, we have observed the rapid growth in popularity of collaborative economy companies all around the world, and while we learn more and more about this shift every day, a number of big questions have remained unanswered, such as exactly who is participating in this new economic activity? Why do company founders launch collaborative consumption businesses? Just how popular and widespread are the different behaviours that comprise the collaborative economy? The new report, Making Sense of the Collaborative Economy, from Nesta UK in collaboration with Collaborative Lab, aims to answer some of these questions for the first time, focusing on the UK context.
Making Sense of the UK Collaborative Economy – key statistics
– 25% of the UK population took part in the collaborative economy over the last year
– 64% of UK collaborative economy companies have been founded since 2010
– Top 3 motivations of collaborative economy company founders are: Importance of cooperation and sharing, making better use of existing assets and environmental sustainability
– Top 3 areas where collaborative activity is occurring are: Clothes and accessories, media and household goods
At such a critical point in its lifespan, this research provides an important insight into the state of the collaborative economy in the UK, and hints at its growing potential over the next few years – something that we at Collaborative Lab are very optimistic about.
Find out more about Nesta’s research in this area, and download the Making Sense of the UK Collaborative Economy Report.
