Skip to main content Skip to navigation

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       

Chair

The Players