Stay ahead of the curve and future-proof your business with Mintel’s UK Bathroom and Bathroom Accessories Market Report 2023. Our full report is packed with consumer-led market intelligence, the latest bathroom market trends and consumer behaviours affecting your business. Get a 360° view of the bathroom market, including market size, share and forecasted growth to help you align your business strategy with the needs of your audience.
Below, we’ve handpicked the key insights analysed in the full report and summarised the core topics.
Topics Analysed in this Report
- The impacts of the cost of living crisis on the bathroom market and consumer spending.
- Analyses how retailers can support consumers during the income squeeze.
- The impacts of inflation and supply chain disruption on the bathroom market.
- Innovations in the bathroom and bathroom accessories market.
- Explores the latest opportunities in the bathroom market.
Bathroom Market Outlook
Bathroom expenditure is set to only grow marginally in the coming year. Mintel’s research found people are taking on lighter-ticketed projects rather than bigger-ticketed projects that require planning and funding to complete. With inflation impacting the wider home market, we see spending on bathroom items increasing despite volume sales being in decline.
- Bathroom and bathroom accessories market size: Mintel expects the bathroom market to increase to £1.7 billion in 2023.
Bathroom Market Trends and Opportunities
Ways to reduce energy usage
Consumers are looking for ways to reduce their energy usage due to rising prices brought on by the cost of living crisis as customers are interested in fixtures that save energy and water. Retailers in the bathroom and bathroom accessories market have the opportunity to support consumer concerns regarding sustainability as they support consumers changing consumption habits to improve the environment.
- Bathroom market trends: 40% of bathroom customers are interested in fixtures that save energy and water.
Bathrooms to improve wellbeing
Despite consumers postponing bigger-ticketed projects, there are still plenty of opportunities for the bathroom market. As consumers look for ways to escape from life’s stresses, bathroom retailers are perfectly situated to offer consumers the ability to relax and focus on wellness as many consumers consider bathroom renovations as a good way to help improve their wellbeing.
- Bathroom and bathroom accessories market trends: 79% of consumers are interested in innovations in the bathroom that improve their well-being.
To learn more about the UK Bathroom and Bathroom Accessories Market, including a five-year forecast, consumer behaviour analysis, and market opportunities recommendations, purchase our full UK Bathroom and Bathroom Accessories Market Report.
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Expert Insights from a Specialist Analyst
This report, written by Bridget McCusker, a leading analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight trends in the bathroom market and add expert context to the numbers.
We will see the bathroom market experiencing marginal growth brought on by price increases due to inflation in 2023. The cost of living crisis has many spending on smaller-ticketed projects like decorating and accessorising as they face a fall in disposable income vital for taking on bigger-ticketed projects.”
Bridget McCusker
Research Analyst
Collapse All
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Overview
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Products covered in this Report
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Executive Summary
- The five-year outlook for the bathroom market
- Figure 1: Category outlook, 2023-28
- The market
- Spending on the bathroom is expected to grow by 3.9% for 2023
- Figure 2: Market forecast Bathroom and Bathroom accessories, 2018-28
- Bathroom accessories grow nearly 10%
- Figure 3: Market estimates for bathroom furniture and accessories, 2018-23
- Companies and brands
- Digital advertising takes the lead
- Figure 4: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on bathrooms, by media type, 2023
- Wellbeing takes focus in the bathroom
- The consumer
- 37% of consumers have multiple bathrooms
- Figure 5: Number of bathrooms in households, 2023
- 52% have undertaken work on their bathroom in the last three years
- Figure 6: Bathroom, shower room, toilet/cloakroom refits and installations in the last three years, 2023
- IKEA leads in bathroom retailing
- Figure 7: Retailers used, 2023
- 92% of consumers are at least satisfied with their last shopping experience
- Figure 8: Key drivers of overall satisfaction with retailer last used to purchase bathroom fittings, 2023
- Projects are not a priority for many
- Figure 9: Project intentions in the next four years, 2023
- Consumers are interested in bathroom products that save energy or water
- Figure 10: Innovation in the bathroom, 2023
- The five-year outlook for the bathroom market
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Issues and Insights
- Cost of living crisis trickles into the bathroom
- Wellness combats stressors of the cost of living crisis
- The bathroom sees sustainability come to the forefront
- Sustainability is at the forefront of consumer’s minds
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Market Size and Performance
- Softer growth in 2023 for bathrooms
- Housing market remains a key indicator
- Polarisation of demand
- Figure 11: Market size for Bathroom and bathroom accessories, 2018-23
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Market Forecast
- Uncertainty will continue to impact the bathroom market
- Figure 12: Category outlook, 2023-28
- There is some hope as the strains of the cost of living crisis ease
- Bathroom retailers can cater to consumers’ wellbeing
- Figure 13: Market forecast Bathroom and Bathroom accessories, 2018-28
- Learnings from the last income squeeze
- Forecast methodology
- Uncertainty will continue to impact the bathroom market
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Market Segmentation
- Bathroom furniture leads the way
- Figure 14: Market estimates for bathroom furniture and accessories, 2018-23
- Showers account for a quarter of sales
- Bathroom furniture sales account for 9.5% of the market
- Figure 15: Market estimates for bathrooms, 2023 (est)
- Figure 16: Bathroom fittings, furniture and accessories market estimates, by segment, 2020-2022
- Bathroom furniture leads the way
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Market Drivers
- Inflation will continue to eat into consumer spending power over the course of 2023
- Further interest rate increases will hit mortgage-holders
- Housing market rebalances post-pandemic
- Figure 17: Number of property residential transactions with a value of over £40,000 completed in the UK, January 2018-June 2023
- Private renting continues to dominate homeownership
- Figure 18: English housing tenure, 2017/18-2021/22
- High inflation and rising interest rates will compound the impact of the slowing recovery
- Consumer spending power will be curbed
- Consumers’ financial wellbeing has fallen from the highs of 2021…
- Figure 19: Household financial wellbeing index, 2016-23
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Leading Retailers
- Victorian Plumbing
- DIY Retailers
- Kingfisher sees flat growth, but remains confident amidst economic uncertainty
- Wickes mitigates economic concerns posting a near 2% uptick in sales
- Figure 20: Estimated revenues of selected retailers (bathroom and bathroom accessories), 2018/19-2022/23
- Kingfisher continues to strengthen its multichannel offerings
- Toolstation puts brakes on store expansion
- Figure 21: Store numbers for selected retailers (bathroom and bathroom accessories), 2018-22
- Figure 22: Sales per store for selected retailers (bathroom and bathroom accessories), 2018-22
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Competitive Strategies
- Multichannel players strengthen their omnichannel presence
- Retailers are investing in their fulfilment opportunities
- Convenience drives launch of smaller store formats
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Market Share
- Victorian Plumbing continues to be the leading retailer
- IKEA continues its physical expansion in the UK
- Figure 23: Estimated share of leading retailers, 2018/19-22/23
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Launch Activity and Innovation
- Accessibility ranges
- Figure 24: Victoria Plum extends its independent living range, 2023
- Wellbeing extends to the shower
- Figure 25: Hansgrohe and womanizer team up to launch womanizer wave, 2023
- Injecting fun into the bathroom
- Yoghurt brand hy offers Yakult-scented shower filter
- Circularity expands with refurb services
- Figure 26: d line’s Re-handle scheme, 2023
- Rehome expands its resell service to bathrooms
- Figure 27: Rehome adds bathrooms to its resale service, 2023
- Technology and sustainability go hand-in-hand
- Figure 28: Duravit’s Sensowash D-Neo toilet, 2023
- Greater convenience for consumers
- Wickes launch shoppable video platform
- B&Q to expand its high street format
- Homebase open concessions inside Tesco supermarkets
- IKEA expands its convenience for customers
- Space has become a greater commodity especially for those residing in urban areas
- Accessibility ranges
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Advertising and Marketing Activity
- Ad spend sees an exceptional year in 2022
- Figure 29: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on bathrooms, 2019-2023
- Online pure players lead the way
- Figure 30: Victorian Plumbing digital campaign ‘boss your bathroom’, 2023
- Figure 31: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on bathrooms (10 leading advertisers), 2019-23
- Four-fifths of advertising spend is digital in 2022
- Figure 32: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on bathrooms, by media type, 2022
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
- Ad spend sees an exceptional year in 2022
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Presence of Bathrooms
- 37% of consumers have multiple bathrooms
- Figure 33: Number of bathrooms in households, 2020-22
- Ownership is determined by space
- Figure 34: Number of bathrooms in households, by household type, 2023
- Nearly 4/10 consumers have a separate toilet
- Figure 35: Separate toilets/cloakrooms in household, 2021-22
- 37% of consumers have multiple bathrooms
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Refits and Installations
- 52% have undertaken work on their bathroom in the last three years
- Smaller-ticket projects take the lead…
- …as the cost of living impacts bigger-ticket projects
- Figure 36: Bathroom, shower room, toilet/cloakroom refits and installations in the last three years, 2023
- 65% of hybrid workers updating their bathrooms
- Figure 37: Bathroom, shower room, toilet/cloakroom refits and installations in the last three years, by employment location, 2022
- Cost of living crisis has many looking to accessorise their bathrooms
- Figure 38: Bathroom, shower room, toilet/cloakroom refits and installations done most recently, 2023
- Those established in their homes are taking on bigger-ticket projects
- Figure 39: Bathroom, shower room, toilet/cloakroom refits and installations done most recently, based on length of living at current location, 2023
- Retirees are spending on complete refits
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Where They Shop
- IKEA leads in bathroom retailing
- Online channel remains strong
- Cost of living crisis leads to consumers seeking value
- Online pure-play specialists
- Figure 40: Retailers last used for purchasing for bathroom projects, 2023
- Bathroom specialists lead in complete refits
- Figure 41: Retailers used, by most recent project, 2023
- General retailers take the lead on smaller-ticket projects
- Figure 42: Retailers used, by most recent project, 2023
- IKEA drives younger appeal
- Figure 43: Retailers used, by age and socio-economic status, 2023
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Satisfaction with Bathroom Retailers
- 92% of consumers are at least satisfied with their last shopping experience
- Figure 44: Important factors determining consumer satisfaction with their retailer, 2023
- Retailers need to promote price, and range of products
- Figure 45: Key drivers of overall satisfaction with retailer last used to purchase bathroom fittings, 2023
- Bathroom retailers improve their extended offerings
- Figure 46: Overall satisfaction with retailer last used to purchase bathroom fittings – key driver output, May 2023
- 92% of consumers are at least satisfied with their last shopping experience
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Future Project Intentions
- Projects are not a priority for many
- Figure 47: Project intentions in the next four years, 2023
- Younger consumers are more likely to take on a bathroom project
- Older consumers are settled and less interested in renovations
- Projects are not a priority for many
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Innovations in the Bathroom Market
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- Figure 48: Innovation in the bathroom, 2023
- Sustainability comes to the bathroom
- Women are interested in energy-efficient innovations in the bathroom
- Energy-efficiency peaks with retirees
- Figure 49: Innovation in the bathroom based on working status, 2023
- Smart technology has a place in the bathroom
- Figure 50: Innovation in the bathroom based on age and home tenure, 2023
- As the population ages, bathrooms can become more accessible
- Younger consumers seek to unwind in their bathrooms
- Adding benefits to their showering experience
- Bathrooms can offer a playful outlet for many
- Bathroom retailers can support consumer’s wellness needs
- Figure 51: Innovation in the bathroom based on gender and age, 2023
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Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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Appendix – Forecast Methodology
- Market forecast and prediction intervals
- Figure 52: Market forecast for bathroom and bathroom accessories, 2023-28
- Market drivers and assumptions
- Forecast methodology
- Market forecast and prediction intervals
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Appendix: Key Driver Analysis
- Interpretation of results
- Figure 53: Overall satisfaction with retailer last used to purchase bathroom fittings – key driver output, May 2023
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- Figure 54: Satisfaction with retailer last used to purchase bathroom fittings, May 2023
- Interpretation of results
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