Average mattress price fell 16% to £543 in a year, NBF survey finds

The National Bed Federation's 18th annual Consumer Bed-Buying Survey, carried out by Censuswide in August 2026 among 1,000 adults who bought a mattress in the previous year, finds a clear squeeze on what people are prepared to spend.

The mean price paid for a mattress fell 16% year on year to £543. Nearly half of buyers paid under £400, against 40% in the previous survey, while the share spending £800 or more dropped from 28% to 20%.

“This is a clear indication of the challenges facing our members and bed retailers across the country.”

— Tristine Hargreaves, NBF Executive Director

What people bought

Mattresses bought on their own, rather than with a bedstead, rose to 64.5% of all purchases. Roll-up mattresses jumped to 33% of purchases from 23.5%, with uptake ranging from 22.5% among 25 to 34 year olds to nearly 40% among 45 to 54 year olds. Flat mattresses accounted for 32%, and mattress and bedstead combinations fell to 22%.

How often they replace

The average age of a mattress at replacement fell to 6.84 years from 7.28. More than three quarters were replaced before reaching ten years old. Younger buyers replace soonest: 56.5% of 16 to 24 year olds and 60% of 25 to 34 year olds had replaced within five years.

Sustainability and price

Seventy percent of respondents said they would pay more for a fully recyclable, sustainably designed mattress, at an average premium of 8%. The 25 to 34 age group was the most willing, at 81%.

Where they bought

Online purchases reached 55%, up from 52.5%, led by 45 to 54 year olds at 63% and 35 to 44 year olds at 60%.

Forty percent of buyers could not recall the brand of mattress they bought. The most recalled brands were Silentnight, Dreams and Emma.

NBF members can access the full survey data through the federation's Market Intelligence hub.

Editor's note

What this means for makers: a 16% fall in the average price paid and a rise in roll-up purchases is pressure on margin and on construction choices for every UK bed manufacturer. The 8% premium that 70% of buyers say they would pay for a recyclable design is the one number in this survey that points the other way.