Table of Contents
Issues in the Market
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- Key themes
- Definitions
- Abbreviations
Insights and Opportunities
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- Customisation and flexibility
- Blurring the boundaries
- Helping the aged
- Green and pleasant land
Fast Forward Trends
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- Trend 1: Life as Science Fiction
- Definition
- What next?
- Trend 2: Home of the Senses
- Definition
- What next?
Market in Brief
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- Market decline
- Growth inhibitors
- Positive developments
- Future trends
Internal Market Environment
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- Key points
- Ownership and spend declines
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- Figure 1: Living room furniture ownership and purchase, 2003-07
- Polarisation in spend
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- Figure 2: Living room furniture spend over the past 12 months, 2003-07
- Has interest in extending living space peaked?
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- Figure 3: Home conversions, 2003-07
- Let me entertain you
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- Figure 4: Lifestyle statements towards homes, 2003-07
- Changing rooms
- Future of furniture retailing
- Cheap imports impact on market
- UK and European manufacturers fight back
- The Internet embraces interior décor
Broader Market Environment
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- Key points
- Housing market slows
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- Figure 5: House prices, transactions and average number of years between moves, 2002, 2007 and 2012
- Opportunities for living room furniture
- An ageing population – will pay for comfort
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- Figure 6: UK population, by age, 2002-12
- Budget products appeal to the young
- AB socio-economic status growing
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- Figure 7: Adult population trends, by socio-economic group, 2002-12
- ABs – strong views on living room furniture
- C1s – a more flexible approach
- Smaller households on the rise
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- Figure 8: Number of UK households, by number of persons in household, 2002-12
- Demand for more flexible living space
- Eco living
Competitive Context
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- Key points
- Furniture – not exciting enough
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- Figure 9: Expenditure priorities, 2006-08
- Mixed fortunes for furniture
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- Figure 10: UK RETAIL SALES VALUE OF FURNITURE, BY TYPE, 2003, 2005 AND 2007
- Future outlook
Strengths and Weaknesses in the Market
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- Strengths
- Weaknesses
Who’s Innovating?
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- Key points
- Contemporary designs proliferate
- Action packed – vogue for recliners and swivel chairs
- Blurring the boundaries
- Flexible furniture for fluid functionality
- Sit back and enjoy the show
- Celebrity endorsements
- Improving auxiliary services
- Going green
- Internet initiatives
Market Value and Forecast
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- Key points
- Uncomfortable position for living room furniture
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- Figure 11: Forecast of UK retail sales of living room furniture by value, at current and constant prices, 2007-12
- Factors used in the forecast
- The future living room – a flexible space
Segment Performance
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- Key points
- Sofas – not such a soft option
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- Figure 12: UK retail sales of living room furniture, by type and value, 2005 and 2007
- Recliners rise to the challenge
- Leather losing its sheen
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- Figure 13: UK retail sales of upholstered living room furniture, by type and value, 2005 and 2007
- Reappraising ready-assembled furniture
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- Figure 14: UK retail sales of cabinet and occasional furniture, by method of assembly and value, 2005 and 2007
- Flatpack – a flatter future?
Market Share
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- Key points
- Relatively poor brand recognition
- Vertical integration aids growth
Companies and Products
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- Sofa Brands International
- DFS
- Ekornes Ltd
- The Innovators of Comfort
- Ercol Furniture Ltd
- IKEA
- MFI Retail Ltd
- New Heights (with the Sofa Workshop)
- Sofa Workshop
- Vale Bridgecraft
- JDP Furniture Group
- Thankyou for choosing JDP
- Wade Furniture (with Multiyork Furniture Ltd)
- Master Furniture Makers
- La-Z-Boy Incorporated
- SofaSofa
- Others
Brand Communication and Promotion
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- Key points
- Investing more, achieving less
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- Figure 15: Main media advertising expenditure on living/dining room furniture*, 2003-07
- DFS – hey big spender
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- Figure 16: Main media advertising expenditure on living/dining room furniture, by top 8 manufacturers and manufacturer/retailers, 2003-07
- Power of the press
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- Figure 17: Main media advertising expenditure on living/dining room furniture, by media type, 2007
- UK manufacturers fighting back
Channels to Market
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- Key points
- Changing pattern of distribution
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- Figure 18: UK retail sales of living room furniture, by outlet type, 2005 and 2007
- Specialists under threat
- Established non-specialists – mixed fortunes
- Grocery multiples muscling in
- New distribution channels doing well
- Homebase – a lone star
The Consumer – Reasons for Buying
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- Key points
- Main reasons for buying
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- Figure 19: Main reasons for buying upholstered living room furniture, October 2007
- Wear and tear
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- Figure 20: Wear and tear and moving house/setting up home as reasons for buying, by age, October 2007
- Changing rooms, not address
- Changing family structure – new look, new sofa
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- Figure 21: Wanting a new look/style and redecoration as reasons for buying, by Mintel’s Special Groups, October 2007
- Attracting first-time buyers
The Consumer – Factors Affecting Choice
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- Key points
- Main factors influencing choice
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- Figure 22: Attitudes towards buying living room furniture, October 2007
- Comfort and function – key requirements
- Storage and flexibility – popular with families
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- Figure 23: Attitudes towards functionality over style, paying for quality and putting together flat-pack furniture, by age, October 2007
- Quality versus flat-pack
- Selling style
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- Figure 24: Interest in latest styles and matching or mixing and matching of furniture, by Mintel’s Special Groups, October 2007
- Internet purchasing potential
The Consumer – Lifestyle Factors and Typologies
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- Key points
- How consumers view the living room
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- Figure 25: Attitudes towards the living room, October 2007
- Frequent usage – more wear and tear
- Couch potatoes
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- Figure 26: Living room for listening to music, eating dinner and entertaining, by age, October 2007
- Come for supper
- Eating – no social divide
- TV makeover programmes
- Identifying targets
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- Figure 27: Consumer typologies for living room furniture, October 2007
- TV-Focused (24%)
- Entertainers (14%)
- Heart of the Home (23%)
- Lounge/Diners (17%)
- Apathetic (22%)
Appendix – Reasons for Buying
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- Figure 28: Main reasons for buying upholstered living room furniture, by demographic sub-group, October 2007
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Appendix – Factors Affecting Choice
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- Figure 29: Attitudes towards buying living room furniture, by demographic sub-group, October 2007
- Figure 30: Attitudes towards buying living room furniture, by demographic sub-group, October 2007
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Appendix – Lifestyle Factors and Typologies
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- Figure 31: Attitudes towards the living room, by demographic sub-group, October 2007
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- Figure 33: Motivations for buying living room furniture, by typologies, October 2007
- Figure 34: Factors affecting choice of living room furniture, by typologies, October 2007
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