Market Research Companies in London

Key figures for researchers

Population

9.09 million (mid-2024 estimate)¹

Local authorities

33: the City of London and 32 London boroughs²

Median age

35 years, the lowest of any English region (2021 census)³

Born outside the UK

41% of residents (2021 census)³

Main language not English

22% of residents aged 3+; most common: Romanian, Spanish, Polish, Bengali (2021 census)⁴

White British

37% of residents (2021 census)⁴

Households

3.42 million, 2.54 people on average (2021 census)³

Housing

54% of households live in flats; 30% rent privately (2021 census)⁵

Internet users

95% of adults were recent users in 2020, the highest of any UK region⁶

Economy

about 22.7% of UK GDP and around 538,000 businesses⁷

Research guide

Research landscape

London concentrates a large share of the UK research industry: full-service agencies, qualitative specialists, B2B and healthcare firms, panel providers and viewing facilities. Many multi-country studies are also coordinated from London. With around 538,000 businesses and about 22.7% of UK GDP, the city is also the main location for B2B, financial services and professional services research.

Who you will interview

London is much younger than the rest of the UK: the median age is 35. It is also super-diverse: 41% of residents were born outside the UK, only 37% are White British and 22% of residents aged three and over have a main language other than English. The most common are Romanian, Spanish, Polish and Bengali, and around 4% of residents cannot speak English well or at all.

For studies that must reflect the whole population, plan quotas on ethnicity and age, consider translated questionnaires or bilingual interviewers, and check that the panel or recruitment network can reach minority communities. Results for London often differ from national averages, so a London boost on a UK sample is common when London findings matter.

Fieldwork in practice

London has 33 local authorities (the City of London and 32 boroughs), with large differences between Inner and Outer London. Sampling by borough or by Inner/Outer London helps control the spread of interviews.

Door-to-door interviewing is harder than elsewhere: 54% of households live in flats, often behind entry systems or concierges, 30% rent privately and move more often, and 11.1% of households are overcrowded. Face-to-face studies usually need more contact attempts and more time. Online is the main method for consumer surveys (95% of adults were recent internet users in 2020), with telephone or in-person interviews for older or offline audiences.

Focus groups and qualitative research

In-person focus groups are usually held in dedicated viewing facilities with a one-way mirror and video streaming, most of them in central London. Allow for travel time across the city when scheduling evening groups, and check Transport for London for planned disruption on fieldwork days.

Ask the agency for its London incentive levels and recruitment lead times; B2B and senior respondents often prefer online interviews. Online communities and video interviews are widely used, alone or alongside in-person groups.

Timing

Avoid the Christmas and New Year period and plan around bank holidays. In London, school term dates are set borough by borough, but half-term breaks fall in late October, mid-February and late May, and the summer holidays run from late July to early September. Families and business targets are harder to reach in these periods.

Working with a London agency

• Share a clear brief: objectives, target, sample size, boroughs or areas, method, languages and deadline.
• For face-to-face or recruitment, ask how the agency reaches flats, renters and minority communities.
• For focus groups, ask for the facility address, viewing room capacity, streaming options and incentive levels.
• Ask whether the agency is an MRS Accredited Company Partner or employs MRS members bound by the Code of Conduct.
• Compare several proposals: you can send one request to up to 5 London companies from this page.

National rules (data protection, holidays, sampling across regions) are covered in our guide to market research in the United Kingdom.