SUMMARY OF REPORT CONTENTS

The Garden Leisure market is divided into three separate sectors, these are Garden Furniture, Barbecues and Barbecue Accessories. It is estimated that for the year ending December 2003 the garden leisure market was worth £501million at retail selling prices.

The garden leisure market has experienced sporadic changes throughout the years, due to unpredictable weather and changes in the UK’s economic activity. However, the market is continuing to grow due to good weather during the summer months of 2002 and 2003 lasting through until late September.

The market is currently valued at £501million for the year ending 2003, reflecting a growth rate of 10% from £457million in value terms in 2002. Consumer spending has remained relatively high, increasing the level of leisure items purchased over the past two years due to an increase in consumer confidence and a stable economy. It is forecast that the garden leisure market will continue to develop in the medium to longer term, but due to bad weather in the first half of 2004, the market is expected to grow by a more modest 7% to £537 million.

Over recent years, more companies are producing products in Far Eastern countries such as Indonesia, China and Thailand and also Eastern Europe, this is due to cheaper labour and material costs compared to producing products in the UK. The shift in manufacturing trends in recent years has resulted in a growing proportion of products in the garden leisure sector being manufactured abroad. There are now extremely low levels of garden leisure products being manufactured within the UK.

Even though there has been a significant change in the manufacturing and distribution of garden leisure products, the UK market continues to grow and develop considerably. One key reason indicated to stimulate growth within the market is the increase in consumers taking foreign holidays. British consumers are now trying to re-create a more Mediterranean feel within their garden with “alfresco” dining and spending more time and money improving the garden. The garden is now seen as more of an “outside living” space where the family can spend quality time together during the summer months.

As gardens are being used more frequently for entertaining, homeowners are spending significantly more money on products for the garden. Higher quality/value barbecues and garden furniture have been bought over recent years, as trading up plays an extremely important role within the garden leisure market.

Key drivers within the garden leisure market include greater use of gardens for leisure activities, and a growing level of consumers trading up from lower value white resin furniture and charcoal barbecues to high quality hardwood / metal furniture and gas barbecues.

Within the garden furniture sector there are three main materials that are used, these are metal, wood and plastic. In 1995, the material mix was metal accounting for 30%, wood for 29% and plastic 41% in value terms. In 2003 as fashion has changed and consumers require higher quality products, the mix is significantly different, with metal accounting for 33%, wood 44% and plastic has decreased to 23% share.

The key suppliers within the garden furniture market include Oasis Leisure Products, Li-Lo Leisure, Swan Hattersley and Alexander Rose with a combined market share of 21% of the market. As a result of so many companies manufacturing products in the Far East it is difficult to ascertain who is producing own brand products for DIY Multiples, which account for roughly 58% of the entire garden furniture market.

In 2003 the barbecue and accessories market combined is valued at £153 million reflecting a 20% increase from 2000 when the market was valued at £127m retail selling prices. The accessory market includes patio heaters and barbecue accessories. The barbecue market is currently valued at £68 million for 2003, a growth of 8% from the previous year. Along with the garden furniture sector, barbecues are benefiting from trading up from charcoal to gas and an increase in the number of consumers entertaining outdoors. Barbecues can be used all year round and are increasingly being used as alternative method of cooking, but ideally are used when the weather is more clement in the summer months. The leading barbecue and accessory suppliers are Coleman, Char-Broil, Outback and Crosslee accounting for a combined market share of around 37%. Key suppliers within the accessories market are BIG K, Calor Gas, Parlour Products, Chartan Aldred, Outback and Sierra.

Garden leisure products are primarily distributed through six key channels, these are DIY multiples, garden centres, high street/department stores, catalogue stores and mail order, hardware stores and DIY independents.

Lists of Companies Mentioned

Alexander Rose Ltd, Besco Baron, Bridgeman, PJ & Co, Jacobs Young & Westbury Ltd, Keter (UK Ltd, Kettler (GB) Ltd, King Easton Ltd, Leidure Plan Sales & Marketing, Leisuregrow Products Ltd, Li-Lo Leisure Products Ltd, LLC Ltd, Mercer Agencies Ltd, Oasis Leisure Products, Sauvagnat UK, Essex Replica, Castings Ltd, Barlow Tyrie Ltd, Berkeley ForgeBlack Forge Arts, Branson Leisure, Classic Furniture Group Ltd, Cosmo Ltd, Denewood Garden Furniture, Elegant Ltd, Fairweather Trading Ltd, Flaxley Forge (RS Watts & Sons), Gloster Furniture Ltd, Grosfillex UK Ltd, John Robertson Ltd, Konstsmide Uk Ltd, Lister Lutyens Co Ltd, Meadowcraft UK Ltd, Neptune Classics, Norfolk Leisure Company Ltd, Nova Garden Furniture, Pacific Trading, Pine Venture, Pro-Team Sports & Leisure Ltd, Roy Firman Ltd, Scanply International Wood Products Ltd, Stuart Garden Arch, Sundial Ornamental Products, Swan Hattersley Ltd, Teak Antiquity Ltd, The Outdoor Living Trading Co Ltd, The Regent Garden Collection, PJ Bridgman & Company Ltd, F. Peart & Co, Glencrest Seatex, Westminster Teak, Lafuma, Kestrel Trim, Claircraft Industries Pty, Jardine International, Britannic Garden Furniture Ltd, Forest Fencing, Thomas Johnstone Ltd, Indian Ocean Trading Company, Tradewinds Parasol, Grant, Barnet and Company, Char-Broil International, Thermos Ltd, Sunbeam Corporation Inc, Coleman UK, Crosslee plc, Sunshine Lifestyle Products Ltd, The Australian Barbecue Company, OMC, Barbecues Limited, Weber-Stephen Products (UK), Barbecook, Outdoor Chef UK, Flame & Leisure, Fiesta Barbecues, Oz-Style, Magma Products Inc., Chartan Aldred, Big K Charcoal Merchants, Parlour Products, Rectella International Ltd, Plum Products Ltd, Calor Gas, Crosslee, Outdoor Chef, Kirkless, Sierrs Space Heating Ltd, Direct Designs Ltd, Universal Concepts Ltd, Sunnflair, Neptune, La, Hacienda, Kirklees Developments Ltd, Chiminea uk, Abode Chimineas, B & Q, Homebase, Schroder Vetures, Jsainsbury plc, Focus Wickes, Leekes, Trago Mills, Laver, Glyn Webb, Chaplins, Wyevale Garden Centres pl c, Notcutts Ltd, Dobbies, Garden Centres plc, Hillier Nurseries, Squires, Blu Diamond Ltd, Klondyke Garden Centres, Bridgemere Garden World, Blooms of Bressingham plc, Van Hage, Webbs of Wychbold, Stephen H Smith's Garden & Leisure, Haskins Garden Centers, Q Garden Company, Country Homes and Gardens, Ruxley Manor, Great Universal Stores plc, Argos, Marks & Spencer, Debenhams, BHS, John Lewis, Kingfisher Group, Habitat, IKEA, Cargo Homestores Ltd, Mica, Wilkinsons, Home Hardware.