The furniture market and sales trends
Changing Economic circumstances and lifestyles have impacted on the market as illustrated in figures 1 through 6.
Furniture market information
(Adapted from tables compiled by Linnard (1984) from data provided by the Customs and Excise, and Business and Research Associates.)
Table 1: Share of Total Sales of Domestic Furniture by Type (%)
year -16 year -1 year 1 year 2 Upholstered 34 27 26 26 Kitchen 10 24 25 28 Bedroom 23 16 17 16 Occasional 9 12 11 11 Dining Room 11 7 7 6 Beds and Bedding 13 15 14 14 Total 100 100 100 100
(N.B. year 0 = year of management buy-out)
Table 2: Sales of Furniture by Product Type (Basis - {£m at manufacturers' selling prices})
Type year -4 year -3 year -2 year -1 year 0 year 1 year 2 Upholstered 247 310 347 336 330 309 356 Kitchen 196 245 287 305 301 306 385 Bedroom 145 182 206 198 193 200 216 Occasional 99 107 145 148 144 135 145 Dining Room 60 68 82 83 84 81 80 Beds and Bedding 130 165 183 183 178 174 192 Office 80 101 118 112 102 113 - Total 957 1178 1368 1365 1332 1318 1378
Table 3: Total sales of furniture by selected product groups (current year [year 3])
Upholstered Furniture £m Settees and fireside chairs 320.4 Unit seating 25.1 Convertibles 10.8 Total 356.3
Bedroom Furniture £m Unit furniture 99.0 Storage furniture 82.0 Built-in furniture 34.3 Total 215.9
Dining Room Furniture £m Seating 35.9 Tables 31.4 Sideboards 12.5 Total 79.8
Occasional Furniture £m Wall storage and room dividers 77.3 Coffee and other occasional 21.7 tables Display cabinets 13.7 Bookcases 10.1 Miscellaneous 22.6 Total 145.4
Beds and Bedding £m Mattresses - all types 97.3 Upholstered bases 68.7 Headboards, bedheads and bed 22.4 ends Bunk beds 3.8 Total 192.2
Kitchen Furniture £m Built-in units 97.3 Storage furniture 68.7 Seating 6.5 Tables 5.8 Total 215.9
Office Furniture £m Desks and Tables 45.0 Seating 34.1 Storage containers 33.7 Total 112.8
Table 4: Total imports and exports of domestic furniture by types (£m, current year)
Exports Imports Balance of Trade Kitchen furniture 9.4 89.9 -80 Seating products 10.1 45.8 -35.7 Dining room and living 40.2 68.4 -28.2 room furniture Bedroom furniture 6.9 32.9 -26.0 Beds and bedding 3.8 6.2 -2.4 Total 70.4 243.2 -172.8
Table 5: Total imports and exports of furniture (£m, current year)
Exports Imports Balance of Trade year -2 237.7 256.3 -18.6 year -1 245.1 285.0 -39.9 year 0 (Est) 249.1 327.3 -78.2 year 1 240.9 400.1 -159.2 year 2 257.7 490.5 -232.8
Table 6: Total imports and exports of furniture by region (£m, current year)
Exports Imports Balance of Trade EEC countries 104.7 329.1 -224.4 Other W European countries 19.3 55.8 -36.5 North America 55.5 23.7 31.8 Other developed countries 11.6 9.1 2.5 Latin America 0.2 0.8 -0.6 Middle East 47.3 0.8 46.5 Other developing countries 17.8 28.5 -10.7 Communist countries 1.3 42.7 -41.4 Total 257.7 490.5 -232.8