eu market survey 2003 - crecer

These developments have both a negative and a positive effect on the table- & kitchenware sales.
The market for basic products like pans, gadgets, etc. is growing because of the steadily
increasing number of households. On the downside, these smaller households do not need the
large table- & kitchenware sets often sold in the premium-end of the market.
Marriage rates & timing
According to Euromonitor, the number of marriages is an important sales driver in the table- &
kitchenware market especially in the premium-end of the market. Traditionally table- &
kitchenwares make up a substantial share of the wedding gifts given.
The marriage rate in the EU is steadily dropping. Pre-marriage households are very common.
According to Eurostat, the EU marriage rate dropped from an average of 6.3 marriages per 1000
inhabitants in 1980, to 5.1 marriages in 2002. Many people today choose to delay their marriage
until they are somewhat older. This development has some implications, especially for the
premium table- & kitchenware segment, as for example crockery sets and crystalware. Because of
this development, couples each tend to have well-equipped homes, making wedding gifts of
table- & kitchenware redundant.
3.3.2 Social & cultural trends
There are significant changes in consumption habits in the varying EU-countries, due to
improvement of life, and differences in culture, traditions and tastes. In this section, the main
social trends which influence the consumption of table- & kitchenware will be discussed.
Turning inwards
According to the Ambiente, a slumbering economy turns consumers more inwards to their homes
and kitchens. Consumers are spending more time on social events at home like dining, playing
games, etc., with family and friends, combined with the rise of in-home entertainment systems,
which are good and cheap alternatives of out-of-home possibilities. This phenomenon of
”staying-in”, according to Global Information Inc., has a positive effect on table- & kitchenware
sales.
From formal to casual
Another important development is the shift from formal to more casual everyday table- &
kitchenware. According to Unity Marketing, today’s consumers more often buy this casual
everyday table- & kitchenware rather than the higher-priced formal tableware which is the
traditional cornerstone of the industry. Other relevant social trends are discussed below.
Changing eating and cooking habits
As mentioned earlier, the EU consumption of table- & kitchenware is steadily shifting away from
formal products towards more practical and informal products. According to Euromonitor, the
busier lifestyles, the increasing number of single-person households and a growing number of
working women, lead to changing lifestyles. Family meals are being replaced by “grazing”, as
consumers eat more easy-to-prepare snacks during the day rather than a formal meal. This trend is
more pronounced in the Western countries of Europe. However, even in countries with a
significant, traditional dining culture, like Italy and France, this trend is also evident. The
tradition of long, extensive meals is being replaced by convenient, ready-made meals, which take
less time to prepare.
There is also a growing trend towards health and wellbeing. Today’s stressful society has a
positive effect on the sales of health-related products. Fat-free or low-fat products are very
popular throughout many food product ranges. In the table- & kitchenware market, this trend has
a significant impact on food preparation methods. Low fat or even fat free cooking methods, like
for example steaming, increasingly substitute less healthy cooking methods like frying and
roasting. Low-fat cookware like grills, steamers and woks has become more popular in the
reviewed period.
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