Lisbon, Oct. 1, 2025 (Lusa) - Portugal leads Europe with almost 3,000 franchises per million inhabitants, which generate €22.2 billion per year, equivalent to 8% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to the European federation for the sector.
Released by the Portuguese Franchising Association (APF) at Expofranchise 2025, which takes place on 17 and 18 October in Lisbon, the European Franchising Federation's analysis highlights Portugal as the European leader in the sector.
With 2,991 franchising units per million inhabitants, Portugal leads - "by a wide margin" - the European ranking in this indicator, ahead of countries such as Germany (2,167), Finland (1,597) and Spain (1,594).
According to the Franchising Association, the country has "a reach of 59.2 units per 1,000 companies, more than double that of Germany (27.6) and Spain (23.9)".
"This year we arrive at Expofranchise with very positive indicators for the sector. Portugal leads Europe in terms of franchising density and coverage, showing that we have a mature, dynamic market with great potential for further growth," said APF leader Cristina Matos, quoted in a press release.
"Our expectations are very high for 2025, both in terms of attracting new brands and consolidating existing ones. We believe that the event will be a milestone for entrepreneurs and for the country's economy," she adds.
According to APF data, the beauty/health/wellness/optics and hearing/hairdressing/health trade sectors are those with the highest concentration of franchising brands in Portugal, with a total of 55 brands, closely followed by restaurants/fast food, with 52.
Next come cafés/ice cream parlours (39 brands), real estate (33 brands), gyms/nutrition/sports retail (26 brands), food distribution/food safety/home delivery (17 brands) and construction/reconstruction/renovation (13 brands).
With a turnover of €22.2 billion, equivalent to around 8% of national GDP, and more than 50,000 units and 542 active brands, national franchising is responsible for 137,578 direct jobs, approximately 3% of total employment, employing an average of 4.3 people per unit.
Although this indicator is "slightly below" that of Germany (4.35 people/unit) and France (5.66), the APF points out that national franchising has "room for growth as the sector matures and gains operational efficiency".
"This combination of significant geographical presence and potential for productivity growth makes Portuguese franchising one of the most attractive in Europe, offering opportunities for both international brands and local entrepreneurs," the association points out.
With more than 60 national and international brands, this edition of Expofranchise presents new features such as the Brazil Pavilion, the launch of the official APF app, the Immersive Entrepreneurship Masterclass and Women Global Franchise.
The result of a partnership between the APF, the Brazilian Franchising Association (ABF) and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil), the Brazil Pavilion will bring together eight Brazilian brands with strong internationalisation potential, whose official teams "are ready to engage with the Portuguese market and establish new commercial partnerships on the European continent."
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