Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
- 2015 was a strong year for the bathroom market
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- Figure 1: Consumer spending on bathrooms, 2011-21
- Diverse market with many elements
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- Figure 2: Market for bathroom fittings and accessories, by segment, 2015 (Est)
- Demand for bathrooms is closely linked to the housing market
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- Figure 3: Property transactions in the UK, 2007-17
- Companies, brands and innovation
- Bathstore builds market share
- DIY stores lead the market
- Victoria Plum grows to become a substantial competitor
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- Figure 4: Distribution of bathrooms, 2015 (Est)
- Virtual reality likely to emerge as important marketing tool
- In-store touchscreens allow retailers to show broader ranges
- Advances in toilet design
- Recreating a spa experience
- Connected home technology in the bathroom
- The consumer
- Adults prefer to shower
- Interest in innovation
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- Figure 5: Interest in new areas of innovation, October 2015
- 62% of homes have just one bathroom
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- Figure 6: Number of bathrooms in household, June 2016
- Sharing bathrooms is commonplace
- 34% of households have a separate toilet
- Young adults most likely to revamp bathrooms
- Households likely to refit bathrooms one to three years following house move
- Typical revamp costs £2,000
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- Figure 7: Cost of refit by DIY, builder or retailer, June 2016
- 47% appointed their own fitter
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- Figure 8: Refit by DIY, builder or retailer, June 2016
- Builders influence decisions about where to buy
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- Figure 9: Bathroom fitting decisions, June 2016
- 47% bought bathroom accessories
- Replacement of bathroom fittings
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- Figure 10: Bathroom fittings replaced in the last 3 years, June 2016
- DIY stores dominate the bathroom market
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- Figure 11: Retailers used for bathroom furniture/fittings, June 2016
- Retail choice is highly influenced by services
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- Figure 12: Factors influencing choice of retailers/suppliers, June 2016
- Keeping control of the clutter
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- Figure 13: Importance of bathroom features, June 2016
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- How much influence does the builder/fitter have in choosing where to buy?
- The facts
- The implications
- What are the key factors that influence choice of bathroom retailer?
- The facts
- The implications
- Are people interested in water-saving bathrooms?
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Bathroom makeovers linked with housing market
- Uncertain outlook
- 40% of spending is on core sanitary ware
- DIY stores dominate
- Adults prefer to shower
- Multi-generation households
- Water meters in 48% of homes
- Number of UK homes will grow 4% in five years
- The housing market
- Changes in the buy-to-let market
- Home extensions and improvements
Market Size and Forecast
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- Uncertainty governs consumer sentiment
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- Figure 14: Consumer spending on bathrooms, 2011-21
- Flat market conditions
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- Figure 15: Consumer spending on bathrooms, 2011-21
- Forecasts for bathroom fittings
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- Figure 16: Consumer spending on bathroom fittings, 2011-21
- Forecasts for bathroom accessories
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- Figure 17: Consumer spending on bathroom accessories, 2011-21
- 6% growth in 2015
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- Figure 18: Consumer spending on bathrooms, 2011-16
- Forecast methodology
Market Segmentation
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- Figure 19: Consumer spending on bathroom fittings, 2011-21
- Figure 20: Consumer spending on bathroom accessories, 2011-21
- Baths, basins and WCs account for 40% of spending
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- Figure 21: Market for bathroom fittings and accessories, by segment, 2015 (Est)
- Bathroom furniture shows fastest growth
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- Figure 22: Bathroom fittings market, by segment, 2012-15
- Fitting furniture in the bathroom
- Innovation in the shower market
- Curves return to shower heads
- Statement features
- Innovation in WCs
- A shower of your own
- Larger mirrors
- Advances in lighting and controls
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Channels to Market
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- Multiples gaining market share
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- Figure 23: Distribution of bathrooms, by retailer, 2015 (Est)
- Victoria Plum makes the highest gains
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- Figure 24: Changes to distribution of bathrooms, by retailer, 2011-15 (Est)
Market Drivers
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- 67% of adults prefer to shower
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- Figure 25: Attitudes towards bathing and showering – I prefer to shower Vs. I prefer to have a bath, October 2015
- High level of interest in water saving
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- Figure 26: Interest in new areas of innovation, October 2015
- Efficient use of water
- Multi-generation households
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- Figure 27: Young adults living with their parents, by age and gender, 2015
- Water meters in 48% of homes
- Housing Stock and the Housing Market
- Number of UK homes will grow 4% in five years
- The housing market
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- Figure 28: Property transactions in the UK, 2007-17
- Changes in the buy-to-let market
- 17% live in private rented property
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- Figure 29: Household tenure, June 2016
- 52% of those in private rented property are 16-34
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- Figure 30: Household tenure, by age, June 2016
- Home extensions and improvements
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- Figure 31: Extensions and conservatories in the last three years, by age and socio-economic group, November 2015
- Regulatory and Legislative Changes
- Voluntary water labelling
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- Figure 32: Water labelling, 2016
- Building regulations changed in 2010
- Relaxation of planning rules
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Ideal Standard is the UK’s largest supplier
- Retailers’ expansion into bathrooms
- Focus on full service
- Promotional policies
- Loyalty cards
- Encouraging trade custom
- Product innovation
- Retail innovation
Suppliers
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- Takeovers
- Key suppliers and their brands
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- Figure 33: Leading companies in the bathroom furniture and accessories market and their brands, 2015
- Key supplier revenues
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- Figure 34: Selected leading bathroom suppliers, revenue MSP, 2011-15
- Key supplier operating profits
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- Figure 35: Selected leading bathroom suppliers, operating profit, 2011-15
Retailers
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- Revenues of selected bathroom retailers
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- Figure 36: Selected leading bathroom retailers, total company revenues, 2011-15
- Operating profits of bathroom retailers
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- Figure 37: Selected leading bathroom retailers, operating profits, 2011-15
- Operating margin of bathroom retailers
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- Figure 38: Selected leading bathroom retailers, operating margin, 2011-15
- Changes in the DIY sector
- Attracting small builders
- Bathstore is the only major specialist
- Other bathroom specialists
- Wren enters the bathroom market
- Matalan Direct
- IKEA serving a niche market
- Other retailers
Competitive Strategies
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- Convenience is king
- Wren adds bathrooms
- Matalan adds bathrooms online
- Focus on full service
- B&Q goes an extra mile to assure people about its fitters
- Exclusive branding elevates own-label
- Never-ending sales
- Loyalty cards
- Encouraging trade custom
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Virtual reality makes shoppers feel as though they are in the room
- In-store touchscreens allow retailers to show broader ranges
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- Figure 39: CP Hart, touchscreen in-store, June 2016
- Rimless toilets
- Shower toilets
- Spa experience in the bathroom
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- Figure 40: Kaldewei’s Skin Touch technology in the bath, 2015
- Connected home technology in the bathroom
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- Figure 41: Crosswater’s digital shower, controlled via a smartphone app, 2015
- A musical shower
- Touch-controlled basin taps
- Smart mirror for the bathroom
Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- £30.6 million advertising in 2015
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- Figure 42: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on bathrooms, 2012-15
- Two online retailers in the top three advertisers
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- Figure 43: Above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on bathrooms, top 10, 2012-15
- Television dominates media spend
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- Figure 44: Above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on bathrooms, by media, 2012-15
- Advertising specifics
- Bathstore – “Bathrooms Matter”
- Victoria Plum emphasises that its operating costs are cheaper
- Victorian Plumbing features flying delivery vans
- Advert banned for being misleading
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- 27% of bathrooms revamped in the last three years
- People are most likely to appoint their own fitter
- Broad appeal of bathroom accessories
- DIY stores dominate the bathrooms market
- Consumers’ store choice is highly influenced by services
- Keeping things organised
Number of Bathrooms in the UK’s Homes
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- 62% of homes have just one bathroom
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- Figure 45: Number of bathrooms in household, June 2016
- 55% of ABs have two or more bathrooms
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- Figure 46: Number of bathrooms in household, by socio-economic group, June 2016
- Homeowners most likely to have more than one bathroom
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- Figure 47: Number of bathrooms in household, by household tenure, June 2016
- Sharing bathrooms
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- Figure 48: Number of bathrooms in household, by number of people in the household, June 2016
- Separate toilet/cloakroom in household
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- Figure 49: Separate toilet/cloakroom in household, June 2016
- Owner-occupiers most likely to have separate cloakrooms
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- Figure 50: Separate toilet/cloakroom in household, by tenure, June 2016
Purchasers of Bathrooms and Cloakrooms
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- Young adults most likely to revamp bathrooms
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- Figure 51: Bathrooms/showers/cloakrooms fitted in the last three years, by age and socio-economic group, June 2016
- Owner-occupiers are the key target group
- Households likely to refit bathrooms one to three years following house move
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- Figure 52: Bathrooms/showers/cloakrooms fitted in the last three years, by household tenure and length of time in current home, June 2016
- Londoners significantly more likely to refit bathrooms
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- Figure 53: Bathrooms/showers/cloakrooms fitted in the last three years, by region, June 2016
- Elements of bathroom purchases
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- Figure 54: Selected bathroom fittings owned and bought in the last three years, June 2015
What They Spent on Bathroom Refits
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- Figure 55: Cost of refit by DIY, builder or retailer, June 2016
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Who Refitted the Bathroom?
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- 47% appointed their own fitter
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- Figure 56: Refit by DIY, builder or retailer, June 2016
- Trust in the builder
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- Figure 57: Refit by DIY, builder or retailer, by age and socio-economic group, June 2016
- More than half of owner-occupiers appoint their own fitter
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- Figure 58: Refit by DIY, builder or retailer, by household tenure and length of time in current home, June 2016
- Who had the most say in deciding where to buy?
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- Figure 59: Bathroom fitting decisions, June 2016
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- Figure 60: Bathroom fitting decisions, by who had the most say, June 2016
Bathroom Accessory Purchasers
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- Figure 61: Purchase of bathroom accessories, June 2016
- Accessories have broad appeal
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- Figure 62: Purchase of bathroom accessories, by age and socio-economic group, June 2016
- Broad appeal for accessories
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- Figure 63: Purchase of bathroom accessories, by household tenure and length of time in current home, June 2016
- Replacement of bathroom fittings
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- Figure 64: Bathroom fittings replaced in the last 3 years, June 2016
- Broad range of households have replaced fittings
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- Figure 65: Bathroom fittings replaced in the last 3 years, by household tenure and length of time in current home, June 2016
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Where They Bought Bathrooms
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- DIY stores dominate the bathrooms market
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- Figure 66: Retailers used for bathroom furniture/fittings, June 2016
- DIY retailers by age and socio-economic group
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- Figure 67: Retailers used for bathroom furniture/fittings – DIY retailers, by age and socio-economic group, June 2016
- 53% use one store
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- Figure 68: Retailers used for bathroom furniture/fittings, repertoire, June 2016
- Bought in-store or online
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- Figure 69: How people purchased bathroom fittings bought in the last three years, June 2015
Factors Influencing Choice of Retailers/Suppliers
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- Figure 70: Factors influencing choice of retailers/suppliers, June 2016
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- Figure 71: Factors influencing choice of retailers/suppliers, owner-occupiers, June 2016
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Importance of Bathroom Features
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- Storage to keep the clutter out of sight
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- Figure 72: Importance of bathroom features, June 2016
- Key demographic differences
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Forecast methodology
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