Firmness preferences across the UK

Firmness is the first and most fundamental decision a mattress shopper faces. Across 105,165 respondents, medium firmness dominates — but nearly one in five shoppers still does not know what firmness they need.

• Medium firmness is the single most popular choice, selected by 41.2% of UK mattress shoppers
• Firm mattresses are chosen by 29.7% — driven in large part by back-pain sufferers seeking support
• 19.1% of shoppers do not know what firmness they need — approximately 20,064 people purchasing without guidance
• Soft mattresses are chosen by 10.0% of respondents
• The combined medium and firm share (70.9%) reflects the dominance of support-oriented purchasing in the UK market

How UK sleepers position themselves

Sleep position is one of the most important factors in choosing the right mattress. Our dataset of 105,165 responses is the most statistically robust picture of UK sleep positions currently available from a live mattress-shopping dataset.

Sleep position by firmness group

• Soft-mattress seekers are overwhelmingly side sleepers (60.0%) — consistent with side sleeping requiring more cushioning at pressure points
• Back sleeping increases significantly with firmness preference — from near-zero in the soft track to 34.7% in the firm track
• Even within the firm track, 47.3% are pure side sleepers — demonstrating that back pain rather than sleep position is often the primary driver of firmness choice

Back pain prevalence by firmness group

Back pain is the single most common concern driving mattress purchases in the UK. Our data — drawn from 102,497 qualifying responses — shows the scale of this issue across all firmness groups.

Temperature regulation demand

Temperature regulation is close to a universal expectation among UK mattress shoppers. Across 103,958 qualifying responses, demand is strikingly consistent — and highest among those seeking firm support.

• Firm-mattress seekers have the highest temperature demand at 84.7% — denser support layers can retain more heat, making cooling technology particularly important in this category
• Medium-mattress seekers follow closely at 83.8% — confirming temperature regulation is a near-universal expectation, not a premium feature
• Even among soft-mattress seekers, 70.8% want temperature regulation

Motion isolation and partner disturbance

Motion isolation is a priority for a decisive majority of UK sleepers — and demand is highest among those who already struggle most with sleep quality.

• Motion isolation demand is highest among firm-mattress seekers at 76.2%
• Among medium-mattress seekers, 71.7% prioritise motion isolation
• Soft-mattress seekers show notably lower demand at 51.4% — suggesting this group may be more likely to sleep alone

Hypoallergenic needs

A majority of UK mattress shoppers — across all firmness groups — want hypoallergenic materials. This is a mainstream need, not a niche one.

• 60.6% of all UK mattress shoppers want a hypoallergenic mattress (62,614 of 103,280 qualifying respondents)
• Firm-mattress seekers have the highest hypoallergenic demand at 65.8%
• Medium-mattress seekers: 59.3% want hypoallergenic materials
• Soft-mattress seekers: 44.2% — approaching half the group

Bed base types across the UK

Bed base type significantly affects mattress performance. Our data shows how UK sleepers' bed bases break down — and how this varies with firmness preference.

• Slatted bed frames are the most common base type, used by 60.4% of UK mattress shoppers overall (62,679 respondents)
• Divan beds account for 31.4% — with soft-mattress seekers slightly more likely to use a divan (33.0%)
• Adjustable beds are used by approximately 1.8% across all groups — a small but consistent share
• Firm-mattress seekers are the most likely to use a slatted base (62.7%) and least likely to use a divan (28.9%)

Key findings summary

• Back pain drives the UK mattress market. 77% of all mattress shoppers report back pain, rising to 84.5% among those seeking firm support. This is the primary purchasing motivation across 105,165 responses.
• The UK is a nation of side sleepers — but back sleeping is far more common than assumed. 65.8% sleep on their side at some point; but 30.1% are pure back sleepers — the strongest new finding from this expanded dataset.
• Temperature regulation is expected, not optional. 84% of all shoppers want advanced heat regulation — higher even than in our previous analysis.
• Motion isolation is a majority concern. 72% of shoppers want a mattress that absorbs partner movement, with the highest demand (76%) among back-pain sufferers seeking firm support.
• Hypoallergenic is mainstream. 60.6% want hypoallergenic materials — a majority across all firmness groups.
• One in five does not know what firmness they need. 19.1% of shoppers (20,064 people) enter the market without firmness guidance.
• Slatted bases dominate. 60.4% of UK mattress shoppers use a slatted bed frame — the most common base type by a significant margin.

About this data

The statistics on this page are drawn from REM-Fit's mattress finder questionnaire, completed by 105,165 people browsing rem-fit.co.uk. The questionnaire is a pre-purchase tool designed to help shoppers identify the right mattress for their needs. Respondents self-selected into a firmness track (soft, medium, or firm) at the first question, then answered a consistent set of follow-up questions about sleep position, pain concerns, temperature preferences, motion isolation needs, hypoallergenic requirements, and bed base type.

The data reflects stated preferences at the point of shopping rather than post-purchase outcomes. All percentages are calculated from respondents who answered each specific question, not from the 105,165 total, as completion rates vary by question. The "I don't know" firmness group (19.1%, 20,064 respondents) is excluded from firmness-specific breakdowns as they were not routed through a firmness track.

Data was collected via rem-fit.co.uk and exported in June 2026. The dataset is updated periodically as new responses are collected.