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Underwear Retailing - UK - April 2009
International Reports (Academic USA), Fashion High Street: UK Price: £1500 / $2310 / €1793
Report sections
click here to read 'about this report' »
Contents
Issues in the Market
Market in Brief
Internal Market Environment
Broader Market Environment
Competitive Context
Strengths and Weaknesses
Market Value and Forecast
Market Segment Performance
The Consumer – Where They Buy
The Consumer – Where They Buy Hosiery
Channels of Distribution
Retail Advertising and Promotion
Retail Competitor Analysis
Retailer Profiles
Appendix – Internal Market Environment
Appendix – Broader Market Environment
Appendix – Retailer Profiles
Appendix – Where They Buy Underwear
Appendix – Where They Buy hosiery
Latest news updates to this report
(click here for all news updates »)
2-09-2010  Ultimo claims to have invented the 'perfect' uplifting bra
27-08-2010  Sales of 'grankinis' up 118%
5-08-2010  Sales of Waistnippers 'magic' pants soaring
5-08-2010  BBH to revive Wonderbra brand
20-07-2010  M&S launch Britain's first slim-fit briefs
...more »
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About this report

The underwear market is not insulated from the Credit Crunch and UK recession: after a relatively good 2008, which saw the sector grow by 2.3% on 2007 and reach a value of £3.4 billion, Mintel estimates that it will decline by 1.2% in 2009. Menswear will be hit harder than womenswear.

Volume growth has outstripped value growth as price has been a key competitive stance, leading to the success of value retailers/supermarkets (especially Primark) and the rise in popularity of multi-packs. However, specialists with differentiation – such as La Senza and Figleaves – have also grown strongly.

Such polarisation could become more marked going forward, as consumers opt to either buy more cheaply or buy fewer but better quality items.

Consumer research shows that many people buy underwear just for replacement, so the challenge is to drive more ‘wants’ interest, especially as outerwear fashion trends are favourable for the sector (slim silhouettes).

Main themes

  • How is competing on design, differentiation, choice, service and added value essential in order to attract customers?

  • Why is it important for retailers to encourage more women to be fitted for bras, and how can this lead to more sales?

  • What impact will the trend for body conscious silhouettes and for skirts/dresses have for shapewear and hosiery?

  • How can niche sectors such as sports bras and fashion-maternity underwear realise their potential?

  • Why is it beneficial to merchandise hosiery alongside clothing?

  • What can multichannel retailers do to make sure their online and in-store operations operate seamlessly alongside one another?

If you want more details about this particular report, please contact the Mintel information team on  +1 312-932-0400 in the U.S.,  +44 028-90-241-849 in Northern Ireland,  +353 048-90-241-849 in the Republic of Ireland or  +44 (0)20-7606-6000 in the UK and the rest of the world, or email info@mintel.com.
Contents

Issues in the Market

Main themes

Definition

Abbreviations

Market in Brief

Size and shape of market

Decline in 2009

What the market needs: New opportunities

Strongest and weakest

The future

Internal Market Environment

Key points

Buying and gifting trends

Women buying lingerie and underwear
Figure 1: Lingerie items women bought, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008
Women’s expenditure on bras
Figure 2: Women’s expenditure on bras, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008
Men buying and spending on underwear
Figure 3: Men’s expenditure on underwear, 2006 and 2008
Gifting: Women buying and spending on men’s underwear
Figure 4: Women’s expenditure on men’s underwear, 2006 and 2008
Gifting: Men buying and spending on women’s underwear
Figure 5: Men buying and spending on bras, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008
Figure 6: Men’s expenditure on women’s underwear, 2002-08
Fashion trends
Growth of niche segments
Fitting issues
Celebrities
Fast fashion and lead times

Broader Market Environment

Key points

PDI and consumer spending

Figure 7: Personal disposable income (pdi) and consumer expenditure, 2004-09, 2013

Weak Pound will mean some higher prices

Unemployment increasing

Figure 8: Unemployment as a percentage of the workforce, 2004-13

The challenge of the changing age structure

ABC1s continue to grow but may choose to save

Marriages and birth rates

Competitive Context

Key points

Make-up with a feel-good factor

Figure 9: Underwear, make-up and footwear, retail value sales, 2004-09

Footwear is hot for fashion

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Market Value and Forecast

Key points

Adult underwear overview

Figure 10: Retail sales, women’s and men’s underwear, 2004-09
Women’s underwear
Men’s underwear

Forecast

Figure 11: Retail sales of adult underwear, women’s and men’s, 2004-14
Figure 12: UK retail sales of lingerie, 2004-14
Figure 13: UK retail sales of hosiery, 2004-14
Figure 14: UK retail sales of men’s underpants, vests and socks, by value and volume, 2004-14, at current and constant 2008 prices
Figure 15: UK retail sales of men’s and women’s nightwear, 2004-14

Factors used in the forecast

Market Segment Performance

Key points

Women’s lingerie

Figure 16: Retail sales of lingerie, 2004-09

Women’s hosiery

Figure 17: Retail sales of hosiery, 2004-09

Men’s underpants, vests and socks

Figure 18: Retail sales of men’s underpants, vests and socks, by value and volume, at current and constant 2004 prices, 2004-09

Men’s and women’s nightwear

Figure 19: Retail sales of men’s and women’s nightwear, 2004-09

The future

The Consumer – Where They Buy

Key points

Figure 20: Where they bought underwear for themselves in the last 12 months, 2005, 2007 and 2009
Figure 21: Where they bought underwear for themselves in the last 12 months, January 2009

M&S dominates as underwear destination

Specialists do well in a competitive market

Internet storms ahead

Clothing multiples less impressive

The top five

Figure 22: Where they buy underwear, the last 12 months, by gender, age and social grade, January 2009

M&S is strong but value competition could increase

Primark is the youth destination

Supermarkets build on family convenience

Increasing competition

Figure 23: Where they buy underwear, last 12 months, by gender, age and social grade, January 2009

Specialists could be taking young consumers from clothing multiples

Internet is a key channel for brands

Next is hot for men

Figure 24: Where they buy underwear, last 12 months, by gender, age and socio demographic sub group, January 2009

Going for a Burton

New Look broadening opportunity

The Consumer – Where They Buy Hosiery

Key points

Figure 25: Where they buy hosiery, the last 12 months, 2007 and 2009
Figure 26: Where they buy hosiery, the last 12 months, January 2009

Tough competition for top slot

Fragmented market

Lack of desire

Top five

Figure 27: Where they buy hosiery, the last 12 months, by gender, age and socio demographic sub group, January 2009

M&S head-to-head with Tesco

Primark dominates youth sector

Tesco overtakes Asda

Figure 28: Where they buy hosiery, the last 12 months, by gender, age and social grade, January 2009

Debenhams’ young aspirational appeal

Men most likely not to buy

Underwear versus hosiery buying

Channels of Distribution

Key points

Figure 36: Retail sales of underwear, outlet types by value, 2004-08

Variety stores

Value retailers

Clothing multiples

Department stores

Supermarkets

Specialist retailers

Pureplayers

Retail Advertising and Promotion

Key points

Spending trends

Figure 37: Main monitored media advertising expenditure on lingerie and underwear, 2003-07
Who is spending where
Figure 38: Main monitored media advertising expenditure, on underwear and lingerie, by top advertisers, 2003-07

Retail Competitor Analysis

Key points

Specialists
Figure 39: Underwear and hosiery retailer specialists positioning, channels, sales and strategies, 2009
Non-specialists
Figure 40: Underwear and hosiery selected non-specialists positioning, strategies and evaluation, 2009

Retailer Profiles

Key points

Specialists

La Senza

Figure 41: La Senza product offer, 2009

Ann Summers

Figure 42: Ann Summers and Knickerbox, product offer, 2009

Smaller specialists

Figure 43: Smaller lingerie specialists, 2009

Online specialists

Figleaves.com

Brastop.com

Mio Destino

Glamorous Amorous

Stockingshq.com and tightsandmore.com

Non specialists

Marks & Spencer

Arcadia Group

Department stores

Debenhams

John Lewis

House of Fraser

Other department stores

Variety stores

Bhs

Multiple clothing specialists

H&M

New Look

Next

Value clothing retailers

Matalan

Primark

Peacock Group (Peacocks and Bonmarche)

TK Maxx

Supermarkets

George at Asda

Tesco

Sainsbury’s

Mail order

Avon

Appendix – Internal Market Environment

Underwear trends and influences

Appendix – Broader Market Environment

Figure 44: Working population of women and men, and unemployment, 2004-13
Figure 45: Age groups, 2004-13
Figure 46: Demographic groups, men and women, 2004-13
Figure 47: Number of marriages and births, 2004-13

Appendix – Retailer Profiles

Product offer overviews

Marks & Spencer

Figure 48: Marks & Spencer, underwear brands/product offer, 2009

Arcadia Group

Figure 49: Arcadia Group, underwear brands/product offer, 2009

Debenhams

Figure 50: Debenhams, underwear own-brands/product offer, 2009
Figure 51: Debenhams, underwear external brands/product offer, 2009

John Lewis

Figure 52: John Lewis, underwear brands/product offer, 2009

Other department stores

Figure 53: Premium department stores, underwear brands/product offer, 2009

Bhs

Figure 54: Bhs, underwear brands/product offer, 2009

H&M

Figure 55: H&M, underwear product offer, 2009

Next

Figure 56: Next, underwear brands/product offer, 2009

Other multiple clothing stores

Figure 57: Other clothing specialists underwear brands/product offer, 2009

New Look

Figure 58: New Look, underwear brands/product offer, 2009

Matalan

Figure 59: Matalan, underwear brands/product offer, 2009

Primark

Figure 60: Primark, underwear brands/product offer, 2009

Asda

Figure 61: George at Asda, women’s underwear brands/product offer, 2009

Tesco

Figure 62: Tesco, underwear brands/product offer, 2009

Mail order

Figure 63: Main mail order catalogues, men’s and women’s underwear offer overview, 2008

Appendix – Where They Buy Underwear

Figure 64: Where they bought underwear for themselves in the last 12 months, by, region and supermarket used, January 2009
Figure 65: Where they bought underwear for themselves in the last 12 months, by region, and supermarket used, January 2009
Figure 66: Where they bought underwear for themselves in the last 12 months, by region and supermarket used, January 2009

Appendix – Where They Buy hosiery

Figure 67: Where they bought hosiery for themselves in the last 12 months, by gender, age, social grade, region, newspaper readership, daily internet usage, supermarket used, January 2009
Figure 68: Where they bought hosiery for themselves in the last 12 months, by region, newspaper readership and supermarket used, January 2009
Mintel Group ©