More than three years in the making, the newly released Value of Shooting report provides the clearest picture yet of shooting’s critical importance to the UK’s environment, social wellbeing, and economy. Earlier studies found that shooting generates around £2.5 billion a year, but this new report sets out in greater detail the benefits the shooting sector brings to the UK economy and the conservation of the countryside. It enables a better understanding of the financial benefits of the shooting industry. The 24 partner organisations involved in its completion led a complete rethink of the parameters and methodologies used to gather data around every aspect of shooting. As a result, we now have a clearer picture than ever of shooting’s place in society.

This time, the report’s leading partners were particularly keen to assess the wider financial benefits of shooting to fragile rural communities. We all know that shooting’s influence extends far beyond the activity on a shoot day. Beaters need vets for their dogs, vehicles need mechanics—these are just a couple of examples of the wider benefits of shooting that were overlooked in previous reports. The new report has taken a far more comprehensive and detailed approach, attaching value to contributions in kind and supply-chain value, showing that £9.3 billion of wider economic activity is generated annually for the UK economy.

The 2024 Value of Shooting report was initially due for release at the end of July, but the announcement of an early general election led to a rapid shift in plans so that the new figures could inform candidates and voters before polling day. One key feature of the campaign included a series of adverts in London’s Metro newspaper in late June and digital content targeting people’s phones and tablets. These adverts were aimed at public transport users in London and major metropolitan areas such as Manchester, Liverpool, Sunderland, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, and Bristol. The goal was to highlight the benefits of shooting, particularly in Labour heartlands, with the key message: “shooting adds up to more.”

While the initial focus of the rollout was on the election, the report’s key findings will play an important role in shaping the debate around shooting well beyond this summer. Shooting is a crucial component of the rural economy, goes hand-in-hand with countryside conservation, and brings both mental and physical health benefits to participants while also providing a healthy, sustainable food source.

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) was one of the report’s key partners, and its chief executive, Ian Bell, emphasized the report’s long-term importance to the debate around shooting. “This report underlines to government the key role the shooting sector plays in the economy and the conservation and management of the countryside. All of those who tirelessly work to maintain and sustain our countryside should be proud of the findings of this report. BASC will continue to work with all parties across the political spectrum to promote and protect the way of life we all hold dear. Reports like the Value of Shooting give us the best information to support that work in the years ahead.”

The Report

To create the report, we surveyed individuals who participate in shooting activities, provide shooting opportunities for others, or are involved in the trade. The report focuses on three main areas of interest:

  • Shooting’s economic and societal benefits
  • The benefit to the environment, rural management, and conservation
  • The benefit to participants' wellbeing and health, and the provision and promotion of game as food

During the survey period in the latter half of 2022, a total of 12,084 questionnaires were completed by 11,227 participants (93% of the total), 703 providers of shooting opportunities (6%), and 154 traders (1%). The scale of this research ensures that its findings can be regarded as statistically robust.

The vast majority of respondents are shotgun or firearms licence holders, of which there are around 650,000 in the UK, or 1% of the total population, according to the Home Office, Police Scotland, and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. This figure does not include the large number of individuals who support shooting, such as beaters, pickers-up, drivers, and shooting range officials, but who do not hold any firearm, shotgun, or air rifle certificates.

Conversely, there will be some certificate holders who do not actively participate in shooting for various reasons. On average, the figure is likely to closely represent the number of people actively involved in shooting in the UK.

The report also includes qualitative data, reflecting participants’ perceptions of the benefits shooting-related activities bring to their physical and mental health and overall sense of well-being.