Wedgwood pausing production at Barlaston amid waning demand

Wedgwood, the historic British porcelain maker, will pause production at its Barlaston factory for up to 90 days starting Sept. 29 as the group grapples with weak demand in key markets and rising energy costs.

The move affects 70 workers who will be placed on temporary leave, and the factory tours at World of Wedgwood will be suspended during the period with plans to resume in early January 2026. The site remains a hub for Fiskars Group's high-end and bespoke products, including handcrafted pieces in fine bone china and Jasperware.

Wedgwood was founded in 1759 by Josiah Wedgwood and quickly rose to prominence, drawing admiration from royalty and politicians. Its wares have graced Buckingham Palace, the White House, the Vatican, and the Kremlin. Once a symbol of refinement and tradition, the brand has seen demand decline amid cultural shifts toward casual dining and minimalist interiors, while energy costs have risen.

Ceramics expert John Sandon, a regular on the BBC Antiques Roadshow, says the downturn reflects changing attitudes more than diminishing quality. “Most people consider their best china and family inherited crockery as ‘old fashioned,’ whatever that means. Once Britain’s most prestigious porcelain crockery that was saved for special occasions is now worthless,” he told the Daily Mail. He adds that “Most old sets are regarded as impractical for everyday use, and very, very few people want to use them.”

Pauline Kent, whose father Roy was one of seven Stoke-on-Trent potters at Wedgwood, says the public has “fallen out of love with formality.” Roy, who began working for Wedgwood at 14, trained there for decades before dying at 95; his brother Kenneth remained in the potteries until 80. Pauline recalls her father warning that people now eat together less often and favor casual dining. “We have fallen out of love with formality,” she says, adding that she will still pull out Wedgwood pieces for Christmas alongside Spode and Emma Bridgewater from Stoke-on-Trent.

The broader ceramics sector has faced similar pressures. In 2009, Waterford Wedgwood Royal Doulton collapsed, and although Fiskars bought the brand in 2015 to save it, the group posted a 2023 loss of about 1.4 million pounds. Tom Hammersley, marketing manager at the Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, says demand in China and Japan—core markets for Wedgwood—has slowed at the same time as energy costs have risen, creating a difficult combination for the sector. Gareth Snell, MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central, described the pause as “incredibly worrying” and urged policymakers to deliver tangible support for the ceramics industry now, not in the future.

Despite the pressures, collectors remain interested in certain Wedgwood pieces, and industry observers caution against writing off the brand altogether. Antique Wedgwood can still command attention in auctions and among dedicated buyers, even as mass-market sets lose appeal. The company emphasizes that the pause is a response to inventory levels tied to weaker demand, and that Barlaston remains central to its crafts, including high-end bone china and Jasperware.

Wedgwood’s history underscores a broader trend in British ceramics, where iconic brands face a confluence of consumer preference shifts and energy-price pressures. The outlook for the sector remains uncertain, though some observers suggest that demand in niche markets or for heritage pieces could outlast the current downturn. In the meantime, industry watchers say the pause might prompt renewed interest among collectors who prize the brand’s heritage and limited-edition releases.