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Choosing the right market research agency can make the difference between profitable brand growth and expensive failure.
Whether you’re looking to develop or optimise a brand, segment your customer base, assess potential new markets, refine your messaging, or derisk your new product development, the UK is home to some of the world’s most experienced and innovative market research companies.
Below, we explore 10 of the most respected market research agencies in the UK today, each known for delivering evidence-based insight that drives strategic decision-making for some of the world’s biggest brands.
1. Brandspeak Limited (London & Nationwide)
Best for: Senior-led research, brand strategy, qualitative & quantitative insight
Based in London and operating worldwide, Brandspeak provides a full suite of both traditional and AI-enhanced, qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, with core services including brand tracking, customer segmentation, market evaluation, new product development, brand positioning, and UX testing.
Due to the research agency’s hybrid team of senior, insight and marketing experts, they are able to help clients bridge the gap that often exists between the delivery of powerful insights and the implementation of equally powerful market strategies. Moreover, because of the agency’s business model, it does so at prices far lower than most of its established, market research competitors.
The agency’s work spans both B2B and B2C, and specialises in sectors including financial services, IT & tech, leisure and FMCG. Their previous clients include AXA, Santander, Amazon, Mitsubishi and Nintendo.
Best for: Large-scale global research, polling, brand tracking
Part of one of the world’s largest research networks, Ipsos is a household name in market and social research. Headquartered in France, with extensive capabilities in the UK, Ipsos provides both qualitative and quantitative research and is particularly known for political polling, brand tracking and advertising effectiveness assessment. Ipsos combines scale with deep sector knowledge across media, retail, public policy, and more. Their methodologies are robust, and their datasets unrivalled.
Ipsos is a go-to brand for media companies and governments, and one of the more recognisable names in market research.
Best for: FMCG insight, media measurement, consumer trends
Kantar is another global heavyweight with a major presence in the UK. They claim to work with the world’s biggest brands, including over 90% of the top 100 leading advertisers. Like other agencies, their services dive into how consumers think and act, to help brands determine the effectiveness of their advertising, or offer insights on how best to create campaigns that speak to their core audience.
Particularly strong in FMCG, media, and advertising research, Kantar is well known for tools like BrandZ and their consumer panels. Businesses use Kantar for global reach, campaign testing, and innovation strategy.
Best for: Fast-turnaround research, youth insight, data visualisation
First launched in 2019 with the combination of four different agencies; Savanta offers a full range of quantitative and qualitative services, blending consultancy and data science with an agile research model. The organisation is often chosen for its work with youth audiences, tech brands, and higher education. The agency also stands out for its strong data design and storytelling capabilities.
They boast a range of market research tools designed for different sectors and industries, and focus their messaging on delivering research to a “digital first world”, making them suited for younger brands and businesses.
Best for: Behavioural science, neuroscience, emotional insight and social research.
Walnut describes itself as the “human understanding agency”, combining behavioural economics and neuroscience with traditional market research, including both qualitative and quantitative methodologies.
The company has particular expertise in engaging underserved and marginalised audiences, and evaluating the impact of policy.
If you’re looking to understand not just what customers do, but why they do it, Walnut’s methods go deep, especially useful for campaign testing and innovation. Their research is said to be “backed by science”, so expect cold, hard data that is hard to argue against.
Best for: Global qual and quant research, brand strategy, innovation, pricing research.
Basis is an award-winning strategic insight agency, with a presence in both the UK and US, and division-based expertise (e.g. Basis Social, Basis Health). Basis combines mixed method research with AI analytics and strong storytelling capability,
The company also works across categories such as travel, entertainment, and tech. Their outputs are strategic and tailored, often feeding directly into business planning and brand development.
For each sector they offer insights into, there a range of tools and methods specifically for that industry.
Best for: Creative testing, youth culture, global audience insight
2CV is a UK-based, B2C and B2B agency based in London and with offices in LA, San Francisco and Singapore. 2CV is creative and culturally aware, with AI-driven platforms such as Talkbot, Insight.AI and SmartProbe. They work across consumer goods, energy, healthcare, tech, finance, and beyond—supporting clients at local and global scale.
Their clients include big names in tech, media, and entertainment, and have been providing insights for 33 years. They pride themselves on “creating simplicity from complexity”.
Best for: Consumer Profiling, market analysis, seasonal research
Attest is a VC-backed SAAS platform for market research, aimed at marketers and business decision makers looking for insights into their sector and audience. Working on a subscription model, users can tailor their services to their specific needs.
They have offices in London and New York, and offer regular reports into these markets. Brand they have worked with previously include Reddit, Fever Tree and Bugaboo.
Best for: Consumer tracking, polling, public opinion data
While best known for their political polling and daily trackers, YouGov’s BrandIndex and Profiles tools are widely used by marketers and strategists to monitor brand perception in real time. It’s a great choice for high-frequency, high-volume quant data.
YouGov offers data into popularity and feelings on hot topics and personalities, which can be accessed by anyone. But their expertise lies in personalised data on brands, allowing them to make informed business decisions.
Best for: Customer experience research, B2B insight, regional depth
Based in Manchester with a national client base, Mustard offers tailored research for both consumer and B2B sectors. They specialise in customer satisfaction, employee engagement, and user journey mapping. Strong on delivery and long-term client relationships.
Mustard Research take pride in getting to know their clients and industries in detail to provide more accurate data, and communicate findings in clear, plain English so that clients can utilise the data effectively.
As one of the few agencies on this list based outside of London, it is a unique and transparent agency.
Choosing the Right Research Partner
The best UK research agency for your business will depend on your objectives, audience, and budget. While larger agencies offer scale, smaller consultancies often provide deeper strategic involvement that fit to your budget.
Brandspeak sits in a unique space—delivering the seniority and impact of a consultancy with the research rigour of a full-service agency.
How to contact a UK market research agency
You can contact Brandspeak to discuss your business goals, the insights you require or the product you wish to develop, and receive recommendations the best research and methods to use in order receive data that will positively influence your business strategy.
Find the address, email and phone number of our London agency.
