Plus-size will account for 20% of overall spend on womenswear

£1 in every £5 spent on womenswear will be on plus-size garments this year, according to a new report from research and consulting firm GlobalData.

The company’s latest report What Britain Wears: Niche Clothing 2017 reveals that rising obesity levels have driven market growth, with more retailers recognizing that size 18-plus females were underserved. Due to increased retailer investment in new ranges, wider choice and improved accessibility online, spend on plus-size clothing has been boosted by £800m since 2012.

GlobalData highlight's the NHS’s Health Survey for England which found that 26.8% of females were either obese or morbidly obese in 2015, with obesity among 16-24 year olds increasing sharply from 12.9% in 2014 to 15.9% in 2015.

As a result many non-specialist retailers have been entering the plus-size market from boohoo.com to River Island. Even Victoria Beckham's recent collaboration with US retailer Target went up to a size XXXL, the equivalent to a UK size 24.

Kate Ormrod, lead analyst at GlobalData said plus-size ranges were now "up to par with core womenswear propositions in terms of regular newness and fashionability".

"Furthermore, with different body types now more socially accepted and, indeed, celebrated, youth fashion players must ensure that they are showcasing ranges on plus-size models across their editorial content and social media activity, and harnessing the power of plus size bloggers to raise their profile. By doing this, retailers will drive customer engagement and remain top of mind amid growing competition," Ormrod added.