Inclusive Bathroom and Kitchen Products Market - 5 Key Facts

• The market has grown by almost 50% in value terms since 2012. 
• Belgium and the Netherlands account for 85% of the UK’s brick imports by value.
• Bricks accounted for a 29% share of the total market in 2017 after growth of around 8% from 2015.
• Investment in capacity has continued, with brick production rising to its highest level for a decade in March-May 2017. 
• The precast concrete structural building products sector was worth around £770m in 2017.

These facts have been extracted from AMA Research's 'Inclusive Bathroom and Kitchen Products Market Report - UK 2018-2022' available for purchase now. 

Downturn in department store sector and increasing price competition likely to impact upper sectors of household textiles market.

Having experienced overall growth of 13% between 2013 and 2017, the UK household textiles market has been underpinned by returning consumer confidence and sustained demand from contract applications. The outlook for 2018 is for a slowing in annual growth rate to around 1-2% reflecting growing pressures on consumer spending and fierce price competition which is constraining overall value growth, despite rising import prices. Both mature and highly competitive with high household penetration levels, the market remains highly dependent upon replacement sales, in domestic and contract end-use sectors.

The household textiles market is now clearly positioned within the wider fashionable homewares market, with greater co-ordination of colours across items to create a particular style. This is exemplified by entry to the homewares market of clothing and fashion brands which also appeal to a younger demographic, creating additional sales opportunities. Additionally, ‘breathability’, ‘climate control’, ‘hypoallergenic’ and ‘anti-allergy’ have all become mainstream choices for filled products such as pillows and duvets.

The product mix for household textiles is dominated by bedlinen, followed by filled products, bathroom textiles and table linen/kitchen towelling. Given the maturity of the market, the share mix for the products has shown little change over the review period. Import penetration rates have also remained high with both India and Pakistan having grown share of key product sectors between 2015 and 2017. The contract sector also represents a steady stream of sales opportunities for all household textiles products, specifically hospitality and healthcare, with growth in the care homes sector. Market value has however been affected by competitive pricing.

The supply chain remains highly fragmented although there has been some consolidation over the past few years with larger companies gradually expanding their portfolio of products. In addition, the distribution pattern for household textiles is continuing to evolve with greater use of “omni-channel” approach by leading channels within the domestic sector as well as the increasing penetration of the “discounters” into the household textiles market. However, the upper sectors of the market are likely to be impacted by the extremely challenging conditions currently facing the department store sectors, with both sales volumes and values affected by the programme of store closures by leading organisations

Jane Tarver of AMA Research said:

“Future prospects for the household textiles market remain cautiously optimistic. The market is forecast to grow by around 6% 2018 and 2022, underpinned by sustained demand but with fierce price competition remaining a key characteristic. New UK trade deals are expected to be forged and operational by the end of the forecast period, thereby positively impacting upon UK consumer confidence, economic recovery and in turn the purchase of household textiles. Our forecast does however remain cautiously optimistic given the complex range of issues involved”

The degree of imports is expected to remain high across all sub-sectors and is therefore subject to fluctuations in exchange rates and raw material prices. However, UK suppliers may seek to maintain higher stock levels, in order to reduce lead times. Some may also seek to become more vertically integrated, taking processes in house, in order to combat rising import and overseas labour costs. The channels within the domestic distribution mix will also continue to evolve, based on the consumer perceptions of the convenience of ordering and delivery options. Coupled with the challenging conditions for key organisations in the upper market sectors, domestic distribution is likely to see a move to a more “omni-channel” approach with market volume increasing focused on the lower-mid market sectors.

The ‘Household Textiles Market Report – UK 2018-2022’ is available now and can be ordered online at www.amaresearch.co.uk or by calling 01242 235724.

Over 20% growth forecast for the UK kitchen & bathroom worktops market over the next five years

There has been good growth in the domestic kitchen and bathroom worktops market in recent years. Between 2014 and 2017, the UK overall worktops market is estimated to have grown by 13%. The worktops market has performed fractionally better than in the kitchen furniture and overall bathroom markets over the last few years, reflecting a shift to higher value worktops and a trend for larger worktop areas, such as islands and peninsulas with waterfall worktops.

Kitchen worktops account for 95% of the overall domestic worktop market. Value growth has been slightly higher in the worktops market than in the overall kitchen furniture market, reflecting a slow shift to more expensive materials such as granite and solid surface, following the relatively buoyant economic conditions over the last five years. This trend is continuing, and it is expected that value growth in the worktop market will be slightly ahead of the wider kitchen furniture market in the medium term.

The bathroom worktops market has followed a growth pattern similar to the bathroom furniture market, mainly due to a lower level of separate worktop replacements in this sector compared with the kitchen sector. Overall, the bathroom worktops market has grown, due to factors such as the increasing popularity of bathroom furniture, but as for kitchen worktops, the market has also benefited from the use of more expensive materials, including quartz, solid surface and granite surfaces, and features such as worktops with integrated basins.

Laminates continue to dominate the kitchen worktops market, making up just under half of all kitchen worktops installed by value, and almost 75% by volume. However, the share of laminates has declined notably in recent years, something which has been accelerated by the development of stone and engineered stone products for worktops in bespoke installations.

In the bathroom worktops sector the material mix is somewhat different. Laminates still dominate this market, making up over 60% of material used in terms of value, followed by solid surface and composite materials, whose shares has increased partly because of their flexibility in structure. The rest of the market is made up by stone and other materials, but so far, stone has not made the headway in this sector that it has in the kitchen worktops market.

The UK kitchen worktop supply chain is complex, with builders and plumbers’ merchants accounting for the largest distribution share by value. This channel has grown significantly in recent years followed by the retail kitchen specialists, while the DIY multiples sector has lost some market share. The sale of kitchens with installation included is likely to continue to increase, with many large suppliers now promoting this service.

Within the bathroom worktops market, builders and plumbers’ merchants are also the major distribution channel, followed by bathroom equipment specialists and DIY Multiples. One of the major differences between the kitchen and bathroom worktops sectors is that within the bathroom sector a larger proportion of worktops are incorporated into the furniture itself.

“The market for kitchen and bathroom worktops is expected to achieve reasonably good growth and is forecast to increase by 21% in value terms between 2017 and 2022, although the volume and price of imported materials is expected to account for a proportion of that increase” said Hayley Thornley, Market Research Manager at AMA Research.

“Kitchen worktops are expected to account for around 15% of the total kitchen furniture market by the end of the forecast period.”

The Domestic Kitchen and Bathroom Worktops Market Report - UK 2018-2022 report is available now and can be ordered online at www.amaresearch.co.uk or by calling 01242 235724.