Facts of Sport Shooting in the UK.

In the United Kingdom today, the shooting community contributes significantly to the economy and conservation efforts:

• Annual expenditures by shooters total £2.5 billion on goods and services.
• The economic value of shooting amounts to £2 billion, as measured by Gross Value Added (GVA) to the UK economy.
• Shooting supports approximately 74,000 full-time jobs.
• Two-thirds of the rural land area in the UK is managed with the involvement of shooting activities.
• Almost two million hectares are actively managed for conservation purposes due to shooting.
• Providers of shooting activities invest nearly £250 million annually in conservation initiatives.
• In the UK, no less than 600,000 individuals engage in shooting activities, encompassing live quarry, clay pigeons, or targets.
• Industry data indicates that there are at least 1.6 million individuals involved in shooting live quarry with airguns.
• Shooters contribute 3.9 million work days to conservation efforts, equivalent to sustaining 16,000 full-time jobs.

About the Survey: This report unveils the outcomes of an independent study investigating the economic, environmental, and social contributions of shooting sports to the United Kingdom. The study was initiated by 17 organizations affiliated with shooting and countryside activities and carried out by Public and Corporate Economic Consultants (PACeC), based in Cambridge. PACeC has a notable history of collaboration with entities such as the Department of Trade and Industry, Defra, HM Treasury, the Rural Development Commission, and the National Audit Office.

The assessment of the value of shooting serves as a continuation of the 2006 survey on shooting sports. PACeC was previously commissioned to scrutinize the economic and environmental impacts of live quarry shooting in that earlier report. It’s essential to note that direct comparisons with the 2006 study are not feasible, as the prior investigation solely focused on live quarry shooting and excluded clay pigeon and target shooting from its scope.

The recent research primarily centered around extensive surveys involving key individuals in organizations providing shooting sports opportunities, termed “providers,” and participants engaged in shooting sports. Participants encompass individuals involved in shooting live quarry across the UK or participating in clay pigeon or target shooting. The survey aimed to examine the employment and monetary aspects of those involved in providing and participating in shooting sports, evaluating the direct, indirect, and induced impacts of shooting on the UK economy.

Beyond the economic dimensions, the surveys delved into the environmental and social effects by posing questions to providers and participants regarding their shooting opportunities, associated land management practices, and social aspects. The data collected spanned a 12-month period from August 2012 to July 2013, with a comprehensive total of 16,234 completed questionnaires, making this research the most extensive examination of the value of shooting ever conducted in the UK.