Over eleven billion euros spent on bathrooms

Volume sales of products for the bathroom total 11.232 billion euros in central Europe (at retail prices). This is the amount spent annually by consumers there on bathroom furniture, illuminated mirrors, mirror cabinets, washbasins, washbasin fittings and bathroom accessories. The figure was revealed by a study entitled "The market for bathroom furniture in Central Europe until 2025", which was published by the German consultancy firm Titze. The countries analysed in the study were Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Great Britain, France and Italy.
DIY stores are the second-biggest distribution channel for bathroom ranges with a market share of 28.0 per cent, just behind the principal sales channel, the plumbing and sanitary ware trade, with 28.2 per cent. These are followed by the furniture and kitchen trade with the focus on bathroom furniture, mirror cabinets and bathroom accessories, accounting for a market share of 22.7 per cent. Online retailing and mail-order selling account for 11.4 per cent and is growing faster than the other channels. Contract business accounts for 7.0 per cent.
The authors of the study predict distinct changes in the market by 2025. Online retailing will increase its market share by five to eight per cent in each country, while the contract business will grow by one to two per cent. The clear losers will be the plumbing and sanitary trade with a downturn of two to over five per cent. In the DIY and home improvement stores and also in the kitchen and furniture retail segment there will be both winners and losers in terms of market share in the nine European countries.Around 600 manufacturers are based here, supplying the Central European market with products to the tune of nearly 4.400 bn euros (at ex-factory prices).