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Shrinking markets in Europe

The year 2003 was a difficult one for the European suppliers of power tools for the garden: the market volume went down by eight per cent

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Consequently, the manufacturers of garden tools, who are always dependent on the weather, have had to cope with an unusually weak market. Lawns and hedges hardly grew at all as a result of the minimal rainfall, and so the demand for gardening tools was equally minimal.
However, the trend towards seeing the garden as an important element of people’s lifestyle remained unbroken in the hot, dry summer of 2003. The Bosch market researchers have found that this is confirmed by the strong growth experienced by related sectors like outdoor furniture and decorative lines. The garden is gaining in significance as a leisure occupation and place for relaxation, and people are still happy to invest in this hobby. For instance, the amount spent on gardens has nearly doubled over the last ten years in Britain.
The European market volume of power tools for the garden declined in value terms by eight per cent to € 740 mio in 2003. In the second half of the year dealers launched sales campaigns offering price reductions in attempts to stimulate the otherwise extremely weak demand. This resulted in a drop of only two per cent in terms of quantity.
The most significant European markets in this sector are Germany and Britain with a 24 per cent share each. They are followed by France at 13 per cent. The share claimed by eastern Europe now amounts to twelve per cent. The weakness of this market was particularly marked in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The volume of all power garden tools sold here went down by 15 per cent in terms of value.
For Germany the Bosch market researchers are assuming a constant level of demand in 2004 until the end of the year, after a delayed start to the gardening season.
In Britain, too, the market volume declined sharply in 2003. For 2004 Bosch expects the market to recover approximately to last year’s level, following a poor spring season.
In 2003 the market volume in France shrank by eight per cent over the previous year. The market trend in the Benelux countries was also on the decline (four per cent down). The only growth region within Europe last year was eastern Europe, where an increase of around seven per cent was recorded.
Market for power garden tools in Europe(.pdf download)
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