About the market…

Within a mature market, greeting card manufacturers and retailers have struggled somewhat to achieve growth. In volume terms, the market has stagnated since 2003, despite the industry’s continuous attempts to create new everyday usage occasions. In value terms, the outlook is slightly more optimistic. Mintel estimates that the market for greeting cards anticipates a year-on-year increase of 2% in 2005. Increased availability through specialist card retailers and grocery multiples has played an important role in making card purchases more accessible to the consumer, and manufacturers have endeavoured to add value through new card designs and embellishments.

Within a mature market, several areas are key to sustaining sales, while Mintel believes there are still plentiful potential opportunities for sales growth.

About Mintel’s research…

Mintel’s research provides a series of essential findings for all those who need to know ‘what’s next’ for the greetings cards sector. Fusing together the latest consumer research and freshest market analysis, Mintel’s research answers vital questions surrounding the market.

Mintel's new report offers you all the insight and inspiration you need for designing clever, creative and profitable marketing strategies in the value clothing retail market. Use Mintel's research to:

Understand the major market trends and drivers

Discover which consumers purchase what type of cards and when

Find out what consumers look for when choosing a card

Establish new customer typologies, based on attitudes towards greetings cards.

Pin point market potential

Identify key consumer audiences and find out how to best reach them with the most effective marketing communications

Learn about the major retailers, their market share and assess the potential for new entrants in the market

Measure market sizes and forecasts and build realistic business models.

Intriguing findings include…

The everyday card sector has experienced the largest value growth of 12% between 2002 and 2004, compared with the market average of 6% over that period.

The message wording is much more important for women than men, and there is a notable difference here by socio-economic group, with C2Ds more likely than others (especially ABs) to look for a suitable message or verse when they choose a card.