eu market survey 2003 - crecer

The information used in this market survey was obtained from a variety of sources. The lion’s
share of information derives from research agencies, such as Euromonitor, Eurostat, Mintel and
Key Note. In addition, other published information has been used, to broaden the view of the
market. Other methods used to collect information were trade interviews, store checks and desk
research. Because of the variety of sources used, extreme care must be taken in the qualitative use
and interpretation of the quantitative data in this survey.
The collection of data regarding trade flows has become more difficult since the establishment of
the single European market on 1 January 1993. Until that date, trade was registered by means of
compulsory customs procedures at border crossings but, since the removal of the intra-EU
borders, this is no longer the case. Statistical bodies like Eurostat cannot now depend on the
automatic generation of trade figures. In the case of intra-EU trade, statistical reporting is only
compulsory for exporting and importing firms whose trade exceeds a certain annual value. The
threshold varies considerably from country to country, but it is typically about € 100,000.
Therefore, although figures for trade between the EU and the rest of the world are accurately
represented, trade within the EU is generally underestimated.
For more detailed information on market research, reference is made to CBI’s Export Planner
(2000).
This survey profiles the EU market for table- & kitchenware, in which six selected markets within
the EU are highlighted. The selection is based on a quantitative and qualitative comparison of
consumption, production and imports/exports of the EU member countries, as will be further
explained in the following chapters of this survey. The countries selected for this survey are
Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, The Netherlands and Spain, which are the largest
consuming countries for table- & kitchenware in the EU. In 2002, these countries together
accounted for nearly 86% of total EU consumption.
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