What you need to know
The market for bathrooms peaked at £1,084 million in 2015, then eased back to £1,057 million (est) in 2016 with consumer expenditure set to rise to £1,083 million by 2021. Bathroom sales ebb and flow based on the strength of the housing market and consumer confidence. Recent economic conditions have been very positive, but in the immediate future 2016/17, uncertainty, following UK’s vote to leave the EU, is likely to mean households deferring decisions like moving house or undertaking big-ticket room makeovers. Full bathroom refits are mostly discretionary and spending typically aligns with other factors such as higher confidence and lower unemployment. By contrast bathroom accessories are a lower-cost way of breathing new life into bathrooms – important for homeowners who want a low-cost refresh, or for renters who want to inject their own look into a bathroom.
The majority of British households lack the skills, time and motivation to tackle a full bathroom revamp themselves. So the do-it-for-me market has grown, meaning that installation services offered by retailers have, in themselves, become a key part of the marketing mix.
Products covered in this Report
For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:
This Report addresses the market for bathroom furniture and accessories bought for use in domestic premises, either by end users or small professional installers on behalf of end users.
Bathroom furniture includes:
sanitary ware (washbasins, WCs and baths)
showers
shower enclosures
screens and trays
fitted bathroom furniture/modular bathroom furniture
mixers and taps.
The product areas included in bathroom accessories:
toilet brushes and holders
bath racks
toilet roll holders
mirrors (shaving etc.)
soap holders
toothbrush or mug racks and holders
small cabinets
shelves
towel rails and rings
flush handles
light pulls.
