Page 14 - International Parquet

MARKET THE SURVEY

Production - Consumption

120,000 112,225
100,000
UE Production - Outside FEP countries 106,992
80,00 FEP countries
60,00 Consumption 101,279 101,547
40,00
96,713

89,711 91,780 92,100

84,303 84,758 84,888
82,972 82,681
87,019 77,358
74,888

68,167
62,580 64,676 63,728
57,938

52,180 52,720
47,070
44,910

20,00

0

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THE SURVEY

1 OF 2 EUROPEAN HOUSEHOLDS HAVE A WOODEN FLOOR

Ceramic floors are the most The popularity of wooden floors strongly
popular floors in European homes, differs between countries. Top country is Sweden,
followed by wooden floors and where you can find wooden floors in more than 8
laminate. It seems the flooring market out of 10 homes. Also Poland (71%) and Austria
starts to recover from the crisis. The market (66%) like wooden floors. Across markets we see a
is not only again getting bigger, but is also 5% uplift of the penetration of wooden floors over
less price sensitive compared to a couple of the last 4 years.
years ago. People associate a wooden Specialist dealers are winning
floor with a natural and warm feeling, over DIY stores
following the ecological and A store visit has most impact on the actual decision
authenticity trend, and consider it a process of consumers. Information on maintenance
good investment on the long run. and cleaning of the floor is crucial, as well as
These are conclusions from the European actual floor samples. Also important when making
Consumer Survey on Parquet, conducted by InSites their decision on which floor to buy is the opinion
Consulting in 11 European Countries of others (21%) and their own previous
commissioned by the FEP (the European experiences (41%). Over the last years we see a
Federation of the Parquet Industry). strong uplift of the usage of internet in the buying
Flooring market is taking up again process. As such consumers increasingly come well
in Europe prepared into a shop, more knowledgeable about
More than 2 out of 3 households in Europe intend alternative flooring solutions than they were
to change floors in their home within the next 3 before. Still, the internet is hardly relevant as sales
years. This is a steady progress over the last years, channel. This is reflected in the observation that
moving up from 61% in 2011 to 68% in 2015. It consumers mainly buy parquet in traditional
seems the flooring market starts to recover from the channels, with DIY (40%) and the specialist
crisis. The market is not only again getting bigger, parquet dealer (22% in the lead.
but is also less price sensitive compared to a couple Consumers value the warm and natural
of years ago. The premium, high end of the market feeling of wooden floors
is growing while the amount of consumers that is For the vast majority of consumers in Europe it
willing to pay maximum 15€ per square meter is truly matters which floors they have in their
shrinking. homes (68%). Within this group even 53%
Number of households with wooden floor explicitly wishes to have parquet. This strong
is increasing appeal of wooden floors is mainly driven by the
Ceramic floor still remains the most popular type natural and warm feeling of the product. This
of floor in Europe, installed in 87% of the houses emotional strength of parquet strongly resonates
or apartments. Today 51% of the homes in Europe with some key consumers trends in the market.
has a wooden floor, defined as flooring with an Increasingly consumers care for authenticity and
upper layer of minimum 2.5 mm of real hard show an eco-friendly mindset. People who care for
wood. Laminate (36%), carpet (24%), natural stone authenticity prefer real products over fake copies,
(21%) and vinyl (16%) are other flooring solutions even if they cost more, and choose more often
with a strong share in the consumer market. wooden floors.

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