62% of Germans see their homes as safe havens. When external chaos is loud, consumers turn inward, seeking comfort in manageable activities and routines like home cooking or solo rituals. The home becomes more than a physical space – it serves as a psychological anchor, providing safety and control during uncertain times.
Younger consumers are an important target group for home brands, as they are more likely to move homes in the next five years. However, they also tend to prioritise other areas of spending over spending on their homes (67% of those aged 16-34 vs 37% of those aged 55+). Hence, home brands are well-advised to explore untapped potential in the digital world to resonate with these consumers. This includes opportunities in social commerce and the potential of online gaming to increase brand awareness.
With housing shortages being prevalent, the lack of affordable housing is a major issue in Germany. Brands can make affordable living part of their business strategies by, for example, tapping into the housing market or making resale programs part of their long-term plans.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Meaning of the home, eg if consumers see their homes as safe havens, or places full of too many belongings
- Moving plans within the next five years and reasons (not) to move, including cost aspects and plans to move to bigger/smaller homes
- Satisfaction with current home, ie overall satisfaction and satisfaction with different factors of the home (eg cosiness of the living spaces, options to spend time outside)
- Activities at home, ie activities consumers expect to do more of/start doing at home in the next 12 months, such as cooking and spending time alone
- Home lifestyle behaviours, including interest in more innovative living concepts and preference for items from premium manufacturers for the home
Germans value their homes as safe havens and places to recharge. Brands can help them create their personal sanctuaries, for example by addressing their desire for more me-time.
Dr. Jennifer Hendricks, Principal Analyst – Consumer Lifestyles, Germany
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Opportunities
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OPPORTUNITIES
- Support consumers in creating their personal sanctuaries
- Help Gen Z create a mood-lifting atmosphere at home amidst global turmoil
- Empower consumers to make the most of their me-time at home
- Concept ideas for brand campaigns supporting me-time at home
- Leverage untapped potential in the digital world
- Explore social commerce to resonate with the young
- Tap into the potential of AI in home cooking
- GE Appliances facilitates everyday life with AI-powered cooking support
- Unlock the hidden possibilities of online gaming
- Make affordable living part of your business strategy
- Retail: explore ways to tackle Germany’s housing crisis
- Embrace resale programs as part of your long-term business strategy
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CONSUMER
- Meaning of the home
- Germans value their homes as safe havens and places to recharge…
- Graph 1: how consumers see their homes, 2025
- …to escape the turmoil outside
- Gen Z needs support in turning the home into a place of retreat
- Graph 2: consumers who see their homes as safe havens or places to recharge, by generation, 2025
- Third spaces can serve as alternative places to recharge
- The home is a dichotomous place for younger parents
- Graph 3: how consumers see their home (selected aspects), by having any children, 2025
- Premium buyers have a slightly different idea of the home
- Graph 4: how consumers see their homes (selected aspects), by preference for items from premium manufacturers for the home , 2025
- Moving plans and reasons (not) to move
- More than half of Germans do not expect to move within the next five years
- Moving plans are a matter of age
- Graph 5: moving plans within the next five years (NET), by age, 2025
- Most empty nesters have no plans to move
- IKEA encourages empty nesters to make the best of it
- Leaving the parental home and upgrading are the main reasons for relocating
- Graph 6: reasons to move within the next five years, 2025
- City dwellers are looking for more space
- Graph 7: plans to move to a bigger home in the next five years, by area, 2025
- ImmoScout24 ad campaign: the struggle is real
- Satisfaction with living situation is the main reason not to move
- Graph 8: reasons not to move within the next five years, 2025
- The price tag of moving is a big hurdle for tenants
- Graph 9: consumers who don’t expect to move in the next five years because their current homes are cheaper compared to available alternatives, by housing situation, 2025
- Satisfaction with current home
- Most Germans are satisfied with their homes…
- …but satisfaction varies across different aspects of the home
- Graph 10: satisfaction with different factors of the home (NET), 2025
- Comfort of the sleeping area and the cosiness of living spaces have the biggest impact on satisfaction with the home…
- …but overall satisfaction is driven by multiple factors
- Satisfaction with the home shapes its meaning as a safe haven
- Graph 11: consumers who describe their homes as safe havens, by satisfaction with selected factors of the home (NET), 2025
- Help Germans improve their sleep
- IKEA promotes good sleep at train stations
- Satisfaction with housing costs is a question of budget
- Graph 12: satisfaction with costs of current home (NET), by financial situation, 2025
- Intergenerational living concepts cover two needs with one deed
- Empower tenants to tackle energy efficiency issues
- Graph 13: satisfaction with energy efficiency of current home (NET), by housing situation, 2025
- Activities at home
- Cooking and socialising are among the top activities at home
- Graph 14: activities consumers expect to do more of/start doing at home in the next 12 months, 2025
- Social health is non-negotiable
- How brands can facilitate hosting and social gatherings at home
- Germans cherish time alone
- A sweet spot for premium brands
- Graph 15: selected activities consumers expect to do more of/start doing at home in the next 12 months, by preference for items for the home from premium manufacturers, 2025
- Home lifestyle behaviours
- Germans are divided on whether spending on their home takes priority
- Graph 16: behaviours towards spending on the home, 2025
- Capitalise on Germans’ spending preferences
- Embrace the intentional clutter trend to appeal to the young
- Social media is celebrating intentional clutter
- Target middle-aged city dwellers with innovative living concepts
- Examples of platforms for innovative living concepts
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MARKET DRIVERS
- Cost of living and expenditure on housing
- Inflation has eased, yet consumers do not feel the relief
- Germans are hit hard by high housing costs
- Graph 17: consumer price index of selected, housing-specific categories compared to all goods/services, 2021-24
- Housing accounts for the largest share of consumer spending
- Interest rates on mortgages have seen a sharp increase
- Graph 18: average interest rate on mortgages*, 2014-24
- Rent burden in Germany is exorbitantly high
- Graph 19: rental price index (yearly average), 2014-24
- Housing market
- Germany is grappling with a housing crisis
- Key challenges in new housing construction
- Housing shortages are prevalent
- Living styles/how Germans live
- Continuous rise in single-person households
- Graph 20: private households by household size, 1950 vs 2024
- More than three quarters of the German population live in urban areas
- Graph 21: urban population, 1983-2023
- Germany has a low home ownership rate
- Flats are the most common type of home
- Graph 22: type of home, 2025
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APPENDIX
- Abbreviations and generations
- Abbreviations
- Generations
- Methodology – consumer research
- Consumer research methodology
- Key driver analysis
- Key driver analysis – data
- CHAID analysis – methodology
- CHAID analysis
- A note on language
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