Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Robust market conditions and slow growth
- 13% growth from 2019-24
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- Figure 1: Consumer spend on bathrooms and bathroom accessories, 2014-24
- Accessories growing share of bathroom spend
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- Figure 2: Consumer spend on bathrooms, by category, 2014-24
- More showers instead of baths
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- Figure 3: Market for bathroom fittings and accessories, by segment, 2019
- Changes to channels of distribution due to Bathstore acquisition by Homebase
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- Figure 4: Distribution of bathroom fittings and accessories, 2018
- Almost 20% of the market bought online
- Key drivers of demand for bathrooms
- Slowdown in housing transactions
- 1.8% growth in household numbers between 2014 and 2019
- Average bathroom in new builds is 16% smaller than houses built in the 1970s
- Companies and brands
- Discounting has driven demand but dented profits
- Changes at Homebase
- Administration and new ownership for Bathstore
- B&Q sees sliding profits
- Travis Perkins selling Wickes to focus on trade
- Growth for trade-facing businesses
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- Figure 5: Share of consumer spending on bathrooms, by retailer, 2014 and 2018
- The consumer
- 58% of homes have one bathroom
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- Figure 6: Bathrooms in the UK's homes, July 2019
- 8 million homes have a separate toilet
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- Figure 7: Separate toilets in the UK's homes, July 2019
- 45% of homes undertook bathroom projects in the last three years
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- Figure 8: Bathroom refits and installations in the last 3 years, July 2019
- 8% of homes added a new bathroom in the last three years
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- Figure 9: Additional bathrooms and bathroom refits, July 2019
- Complete refits account for a fifth of bathrooms done at the household’s own expense
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- Figure 10: Bathroom refits and installations, done at the household's expense, July 2019
- Getting up to date is the key motivator for a bathroom makeover
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- Figure 11: Priorities for bathroom refits or installations, July 2019
- B&Q is the most used retailer for bathrooms
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- Figure 12: Retailers used for bathrooms, July 2019
- Shoppers are motivated by special offers and retailers with showrooms
- 18% want the retailer to arrange installation
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- Figure 13: Factors influencing choice of retailer, July 2019
- 37% want water-saving features
- 14% are interested in accessible features
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- Figure 14: Interest in innovation, July 2019
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- How Homebase will develop Bathstore
- The facts
- The implications
- Will more bathroom sales go online?
- The facts
- The implications
- Is there scope for new entrants to the bathroom market?
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Robust market conditions and slow growth
- 13% growth from 2019-24
- Accessories growing share of bathroom spend
- More showers instead of baths
- Acquisition of Bathstore by Homebase impacts channels of distribution
- 19% of the market bought online
- Key drivers of demand
- Slowdown in housing transactions
- 1.8% growth in household numbers over 2014-19
- Average bathroom in new builds is 16% smaller than homes built in the 1970s
Market Size and Forecast
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- Difficult market conditions in 2018-19
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- Figure 15: Consumer spending on bathrooms, 2014-24
- Sluggish performance after accounting for inflation
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- Figure 16: Consumer spending on bathroom accessories, 2014-24
- Forecast methodology
Market Segmentation
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- Accessories to account for 13% market share by 2024
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- Figure 17: Consumer spending on bathroom fittings, furniture and accessories, 2014-24
- Showers and cabinet furniture popular in today’s bathrooms
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- Figure 18: Market for bathroom fittings and accessories, by segment, 2019
- Trend for fitted or modular cabinet furniture
- Strong demand for showers
- Design detail in shower heads
- Adding to the style
- Innovation in WCs
- Larger mirrors
- Automation and smart bathrooms
Channels to Market
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- The DIY sector is shrinking
- 19% of all spending now online
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- Figure 19: Distribution of bathroom fittings and accessories, 2019
Market Drivers
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- Showering is more popular than taking baths
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- Figure 20: Showering and bathing, December 2018
- Showers are relaxing and refreshing
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- Figure 21: Triggers for shower use, February 2019
- Triggers for bath use
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- Figure 22: Triggers for bath use, February 2019
- Around half of UK households have water meters
- Europe-wide water and energy labelling
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- Figure 23: Water label, 2019
- Manufacturers are developing water-saving products
- Slowdown in housing transactions
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- Figure 24: UK housing transactions, by country, 2016-19
- More than half as many rent privately as own with a mortgage
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- Figure 25: UK households, by tenure, 2014 and 2019
- Rising confidence about financial situations helps buoy home spending
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- Figure 26: Trends in how respondents would describe their financial situation, 2015-19
- Trends for living spaces to be smaller
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- Figure 27: Size of bathrooms, by decade, 1930-present day
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Significant changes in market shares
- Collapse of the largest bathroom specialist
- Changes at Homebase
- B&Q sees sliding profits
- Travis Perkins selling Wickes to focus on trade
- Rise of online bathroom specialists
Market Share
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- Significant changes in market shares
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- Figure 28: Market share of bathrooms, by selected retailers, 2014-18
Retailers
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- Turnover of selected bathroom retailers
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- Figure 29: Total turnover (excl VAT) of selected bathroom retailers, 2014-18
- Poor profit performance for many of the retailers
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- Figure 30: Operating profit of selected retailers, 2014-18
- Wide variation in operating margins
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- Figure 31: Operating margin of selected bathroom retailers, 2014-18
- Bathstore was the largest chain by far
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- Figure 32: Store numbers for selected bathroom retailers, 2014-18
- Wide variations in sales per outlets
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- Figure 33: Sales per outlet of selected bathroom retailers, 2014-18
- Significant changes among bathroom retailers
- Bathstore chain will be much smaller under Homebase ownership
- Raft of smaller specialists
- Non-specialists
- Online bathroom specialists
- Victorian Plumbing
- Soak.com
- Other online specialists
Builders’ Merchants
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- Travis Perkins is preparing to sell off its plumbing division
- Graham gains synergies from co-locating stores
- Wolseley focuses on one brand
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- Figure 34: Wolseley, new identity, 2018
- Grafton Group’s Plumbase includes bathroom showrooms
Competitive Strategies
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- Installation services
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- Figure 35: Who fitted the bathroom?, June 2017
- Homebase and B&Q halted fitting services
- Catering for tradespeople
- Opening city-based shops
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- John Lewis expands home services capabilities
- Bathstore concessions to be injected into Homebase
- Fan with an onboard odour sensor
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- Figure 36: Vent-Axia PureAir Sense fan, 2019
- Geberit teams up with social media influencers
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- Figure 37: Geberit, innovators’ microsite, 2019
- Mira Shower makes water savings
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- Figure 38: Mira, award-winning shower, 2019
- Shared living in micro apartments
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- Figure 39: The Collective, shared living, 2019
Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- £25 million advertising in 2018
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- Figure 40: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on bathrooms, 2015-18
- Companies have large year-on-year changes in adspend
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- Figure 41: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on bathrooms, by top 10 advertisers, 2015-18
- Television takes the highest share of advertising spend
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- Figure 42: Media share of above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on bathrooms, 2018
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- 58% of homes have one bathroom
- 8 million homes have a separate toilet
- Owner-occupiers are core target customers for bathrooms
- Getting up to date is the key motivator for a bathroom makeover
- B&Q is the most used retailer for bathrooms
- Shoppers are motivated by discounts and special offers
- 18% want the retailer to arrange installation
- 37% want water-saving features
- 14% are interested in accessible features
Presence of Bathrooms in the UK's Homes
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- The majority of homes have one bathroom
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- Figure 43: Bathrooms in the UK's homes, July 2019
Separate Toilets in UK Homes
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- 36% of homes have a separate toilet
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- Figure 44: Separate toilets in UK homes, July 2019
Bathroom Refits and Installations
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- 45% of homes undertook bathroom projects in the last three years
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- Figure 45: Bathroom refits and installations in the last 3 years, July 2019
- 8% of homes added a new bathroom in the last three years
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- Figure 46: Additional bathrooms and bathroom refits, July 2019
Bathroom Refits and Installations at the Household's Expense
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- 22% of those who paid for the project, refitted the bathroom
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- Figure 47: Bathroom refits and installations, done at the household's expense, July 2019
Priorities for Bathroom Refits or Installations
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- Getting up to date is the key motivator for a bathroom makeover
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- Figure 48: Priorities for bathroom refits or installations, July 2019
Retailers Used for Bathrooms
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- B&Q is the most used retailer for bathrooms
- IKEA has an opportunity to up its game in bathrooms
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- Figure 49: Retailers used for bathrooms, July 2019
Factors Influencing Choice of Retailer
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- Shoppers are motivated by special offers and retailers with showrooms
- Online or showrooms
- 18% want the retailer to arrange installation
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- Figure 50: Factors influencing choice of retailer, July 2019
Interest in Innovation
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- 37% want water-saving features
- Self-cleaning toilets are a popular idea
- Bathrooms could help refresh muscles
- Personal settings and automation chime with consumers
- Catering for an ageing population
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- Figure 51: Interest in innovation, July 2019
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Figure 52: Consumer spending on bathroom fittings and furniture, chart, 2014-24
- Figure 53: Consumer spending on bathroom fittings and furniture, data, 2014-24
- Figure 54: Consumer spending on bathroom accessories, chart, 2014-24
- Figure 55: Consumer spending on bathroom accessories, data, 2014-24
- Forecast methodology
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