The total hours worked in the UK for rubber and plastics products, and other non-metallic mineral products was at 458.7 million hours in 2023. The forecast for 2024 shows a slight decline to 453.53 million hours, marking a decrease of approximately 1.13% year-on-year. This declining trend is expected to continue, with further reductions each year reaching 434.21 million hours by 2028. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2024 to 2028 reflects an average annual decrease of around 1.09%.
Future trends to watch for include technological advancements and automation which could decrease labor hours further, and the impact of sustainability initiatives promoting the reduction of plastics, potentially influencing labor demand in this sector.
