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Last updated: October 2026
About 29% of UK adults had tried CBD by 2023, up from around 8 to 11% in 2019, according to a Censuswide survey of 2,007 Britons commissioned by Evopure. Users most often took it for sleep (36%), pain (35%) and anxiety (32%). UK CBD sales were estimated at £690 million in 2021.
Below: who uses CBD, how and why, market size, product quality testing, regulation and safety figures, with sources for each.
Key UK CBD statistics at a glance
| Statistic | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| UK adults who have tried CBD | 29% (2023) | Evopure/Censuswide |
| CBD users who take it daily | 11% | Evopure/Censuswide |
| Average self-reported dose | 28mg per use | Evopure/Censuswide |
| Average monthly spend | £34.25 | Evopure/Censuswide |
| Most common reason for use | Sleep (36%) | Evopure/Censuswide |
| Estimated UK CBD sales | £690 million (2021) | CMC and ACI |
| Products accurately labelled in UK testing | 11 of 29 (2019) | CMC |
| FSA public list entries | Over 12,000 (October 2026) | FSA |
| FSA advised daily maximum | 10mg (since October 2023) | FSA |
Who uses CBD in the UK?
| Group | Have tried CBD |
|---|---|
| All UK adults, 2019 | 8 to 11% |
| All UK adults, 2023 | 29% |
| Men | 34% |
| Women | 25% |
| Under 24s | 53% |
| Over 55s | 15% |
People who had used CBD were more likely to say they were satisfied with life (63% vs 56%), though a survey can’t show whether CBD was the reason. Among people who had never tried it, the most common reason was not knowing the benefits (17%), followed by concerns about side effects and uncertainty about the law (9%). See is CBD legal in the UK?
How and why people use CBD
| Reason for using CBD | Share of users |
|---|---|
| Sleep | 36% |
| Pain | 35% |
| Anxiety | 32% |
| General health and wellbeing | 25% |
| To experiment | 19% |
- Frequency: 7.8 uses a month on average; users over 55 averaged 11.
- Dose: an average of 28mg per use (men 29mg, women 26mg), well above the FSA’s 10mg daily advice. See CBD daily limit UK.
- Where people buy: 54% prefer online, 46% in store; 62% of under-24s prefer shops.
- What matters when buying: price first, then clear labelling, dosing advice and brand transparency; only 16% cared whether CBD was produced locally.
Reasons people use CBD aren’t the same as evidence that it works. See our honest guides to CBD for sleep, CBD for pain and CBD for anxiety.
UK CBD market size
The most widely cited independent figure comes from the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis and the Association for the Cannabinoid Industry, whose 2021 report estimated UK consumer CBD sales at £690 million, up from £314 million in 2019. It described the UK as one of the largest consumer cannabinoid markets outside the US.
More recent estimates from commercial market research firms vary widely, from under £500 million to over £1 billion, because they define the market differently. Treat any single “market size” figure with caution.
Product quality statistics
| Study | Finding |
|---|---|
| UK testing, CMC, 2019 (30 oils) | 11 of 29 accurately labelled; 11 had less than half the CBD stated; one had none; nearly half had measurable THC |
| US testing, 2017 (84 products) | About 31% accurately labelled; THC found in about 1 in 5 |
| US testing, 2022 (80 products) | 5 of 21 “THC-free” products contained THC |
Regulation in numbers
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| January 2019 | CBD extracts confirmed as novel foods |
| February 2020 | FSA advises no more than 70mg a day; sets a deadline for novel food applications |
| October 2023 | Advice lowered to 10mg a day |
| September 2026 | FSA board backs the first three CBD authorisations |
| October 2026 | Over 12,000 entries on the FSA public list |
Safety research continues: a 2025 US FDA trial found 5.6% of healthy adults taking about 350mg of CBD a day had raised liver enzymes. See the FSA’s first CBD approvals explained and is CBD bad for your liver?
The FSA’s 10mg a day figure is precautionary advice rather than a legal limit, set while longer-term safety research continues. At Evopure we think it is a very cautious figure, and many adults use more. If you go above it, increase slowly, and check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take any medication.
About our survey
Evopure commissioned Censuswide to survey 2,007 UK adults, chosen to be demographically representative, in 2023. You’re welcome to cite these figures with a link to this page.
FAQs
How many people in the UK use CBD?
About 29% of UK adults had tried CBD by 2023, according to a Censuswide survey of 2,007 people commissioned by Evopure. Around 11% of users took it daily.
How big is the UK CBD market?
The most cited independent estimate is £690 million in 2021. Newer commercial estimates vary widely depending on how the market is defined.
Why do people in the UK use CBD?
Most often for sleep (36%), pain (35%) and anxiety (32%), followed by general wellbeing (25%).
How many CBD products are accurately labelled?
In 2019 UK testing, only 11 of 29 products contained the CBD stated on the label, and nearly half had measurable THC.
How many CBD products are on the FSA public list?
The list showed over 12,000 product entries in October 2026.
Sources
- Evopure and Censuswide. Survey of 2,007 UK adults, 2023.
- Centre for Medicinal Cannabis and Association for the Cannabinoid Industry. Green Shoots: sowing the seeds of the new UK cannabinoid market, 2021.
- Centre for Medicinal Cannabis. Testing of UK CBD products, 2019.
- FSA. CBD products list.
- FSA. Cannabidiol (CBD) guidance.
- Bonn-Miller MO et al. Labeling accuracy of cannabidiol extracts sold online. JAMA, 2017.
- Florian J et al. Cannabidiol and liver enzyme level elevations in healthy adults. JAMA Intern Med, 2025.
