Interconnection Consulting reported that while the furniture market in Europe dropped by 15% in 2009, only 2.2% fewer mattresses were sold in Europe. The top six markets were FRA, GER, ITA, ESP, UK and Benelux. Twenty-seven million units were sold with the average European buyng a mattress every 7.6 years.
Steady conditions
According to the Interconnection Consulting study, the market which yielded mattress sales of 6.5 billion Euro in 2008 will fall below the 6.2 billion Euro mark by 2012, primarily due to declining population trends. Negative growth was recorded in 2009: Spain came in last with a drop of -4.3% in terms of quantity, whereas the Italian market declined just -0.6%. In France sales increased by 1.2%.
Singles at the forefront
The share of single mattresses sold rose from 43.4% in 2007 up to 44.6% in 2010. The highest proportion of singles was found in Spain with a share of 66.3%, whereas in the UK, sales of double, queen and king sizes achieved a a share of 66.8%. Overall, mattresses sales through the furniture store distribution channel is on the rise with a share of 32.9%, while only 24.3% of customers visit dedicated mattress stores. This varied from region to region.
Italians prefer Latex
The traditional spring mattress is still the most popular sleeping base in Europe with a constant share of 59%. The preferences for the various mattress materials differ from region to region. For example, in Italy sleeping on Latex is very popular. In 2009 Latex mattresses reached a share of 50.0%. In comparison, the share of Latex mattresses averaged blow 30.0% in the other countries, and was lowest in Germany with a 10.0% share.
Competition is still very local
In the six surveyed countries, bedding manufacturers had market shares of between between 43.8% and 9.4%. Local market knowledge is an obvious competitive advantage. The top ten producers in Europe together have a market share 44.0% and a future increase in market concentration is expected. More manufacturers were found to be among the top ten producers in all Regions, notably Simmons and Pikolin. Multiple brand strategies are common, as is the case with Recticel which appears in local markets as Sembella and Schlaraffia. Single brand strategies are present as well, as is the case with Tempur, which bets only on foam mattresses.
Strategy tp get rid of old mattresses
As population in the examined countries grows only marginally, the biggest growth potential may come with a shortening of the durability of mattresses. The industry has tried to make the exchange of old mattresses palatable by introducing new innovations, which only appear as combinations of already established materials. The study suggest that better strategies need to be developed with a stronger thematization around the topic sleeping quality.
About the study: The IC Market Tracking® reports are regularly conducted for various industry sectors in which relevant information for national, European and international markets is collected and analyzed.
The IC Market Tracking® Mattresses in Europe Top 6 is available from Interconnection Consulting for € 7.920,- respectively € 6.120,- for orders on a subscription basis.
Interconnection Consulting is one of the leading marketing research institutions in the furniture sector. It focuses on complex, sector-oriented market research. Aside from mattresses, studies are regularly conducted in over 30 different sectors, including competitor and distribution analyses, in all European countries. Furthermore, ad-hoc studies are constantly conducted for brand value, pricing, product testing, and satisfaction, as well as market and distribution analyses. The company, which was founded in 1998, currently employs 20 analysts in office in Vienna.
More information about Interconnection Consulting can be found on the homepage www.interconnectionconsulting.com