INTRODUCTION and OVERVIEW 

AMA Research has published the Seventh Edition of the 'Domestic Kitchen Furniture Market - UK 2005” report. This report incorporates original input and primary research and represents an up-to-date and comprehensive review of the kitchen furniture market.

Product sectors covered in the report include:

• KITCHEN FURNITURE

• SINKS

• WORKTOPS

The UK kitchen furniture market is a mature sector that has exhibited relatively good levels of growth in recent years supported by the buoyant housing market and high levels of consumer confidence. In 2004, the market was estimated at over £1.1 billion at manufacturers selling prices.

Key points of particular interest:

• Increasing proportion of replacement purchases and trading up prompting changes within the individual product sectors.

• Consumers have become more discerning resulting in a greater emphasis on quality and service. Greater influence from media such as TV and lifestyle magazines.

• Improvements in technology and materials, providing a wider choice of worksurfaces, sinks and accessories in particular.

• Greater consumer awareness of products and fashion trends within the industry has influenced the distribution mix.

This report reviews developments within the industry, with emphasis on both QUANTITATIVE and QUALITATIVE market assessments.  The report contains over 100 pages of ORIGINAL research on the UK Domestic Kitchen Furniture Market and provides incisive and thought-provoking views on its future development.

Key areas covered in the report include:

THE MARKET

• Total Kitchen Furniture Market - market background, product mix by value.

• Furniture and Worktops Market - historical market development, analysis of market size by value 1997-2008.

• Sinks Market - market developments in recent years, analysis of market size by value 1997-2004, market forecasts 2005-2008, market analysis by material type and current trends.

• Factors influencing Market Development - economic situation, house building and house price inflation, consumer confidence, growing influence of design/style changes, population mix changes, increases in the number of second/third time buyers, low interest, growing ownership of a greater number of kitchen appliances etc.

• Fitted & freestanding kitchens furniture – household ownership levels and analysis of the factors affecting the development of each sector.

• Imports and Exports - developments in import and export levels 1990-2002, factors influencing the level of imports and the gradual increase in exports.

• Fitted Kitchen Furniture Ownership - changes in ownership levels 2004, factors influencing current and future ownership levels eg. new house building, choice of products now available, public housing. 

• Kitchen Appliances - annual value sales by built-in and free standing products, mix by type of appliance, influence of appliance sales in fitted kitchen furniture market.

PRODUCTS

• Flat-Pack/Rigid Units  - market share mix of each sector, quality levels of flat-pack kitchens, factors affecting mix between flat-pack and rigid kitchens, market share of flat-pack/rigid kitchens, assembly methods of kitchen furniture.

• Trends in Design/Materials in Kitchen Furniture – Increasing proportion of modern, contemporary, and even tradtioanl designs, greater consumer awareness; emphasis on performance and benefits, quality and features, trends in colours and finishes, long term trends in styles and designs, etc.

• Trends in Design/Materials in Worktops - share mix by material, improvements in laminate products, colour/pattern trends in worktops, growth of non-laminate materials such as solid surfaces, wood, stone, stainless steel advantages/disadvantages, new product developments.

• Trends in Design/Materials in Sinks - historic and current developments in materials, current and future trends, material share estimates, factors influencing material trends eg. product development, fashion influences, popular colours, trends surrounding other kitchen products.  Sinks increasingly designed as food preparation areas.

• Developments in the Components Market – Factors influencing trends in size of the retail assembly market, strengths and weaknesses, changes in kitchen design etc.

DISTRIBUTION/SUPPLIERS

• Distribution Channel Shares - analysis of shares by value, trends/developments in shares, growth/declining sectors.

• Role of Distributors - importance of distributors in kitchen furniture market, own branding by distributors, review of major national distributors.

• Analysis of Supply Structure - supplier market shares, recent developments in supplier shares.

• Profiles of Leading Suppliers - furniture, worktops, sinks suppliers, market position, analysis of activities, financial information etc.

KEY MARKET INFLUENCES/FUTURE PROSPECTS

• Housing Market - analysis of developments in new house building and house moving activity, influence of house prices and consumer confidence.

• Population Profile - analysis of changing profile and implications for kitchen furniture sales.  Personal Disposable Income and Savings - developments in ratios and impact on consumer durable purchasing. 

• Economic Influence – unstable global political and economic environment and the effect on consumer confidence and market growth.

• Future Prospects - key factors influencing future market developments,  performance of the economy, housing market, consumer confidence, market factors, future growth prospects.