IER-DEC09-PG32-33-34.n:Layout 1 04/12/2009 12:02 Page 32
Irons & steam generators
Pressed
into service
Most of the sales action remains within the steam
generator market, but product development continues
across both sectors. Sarah Selzer reports.
The garment care category still registers down across the board, but this is a good out in the development stakes –
a healthy £94.3m for conventional steam time to identify where growth will come and there will remain a need for
irons and £32.1m for steam generators from when the market returns to normal these products so they
(year-on-year, to end August 09; Source: (still debatable as to when). shouldn’t be ignored. Ian
GfK), despite the stiff economic climate. Nicholson, sales director at
Looking further at the figures, conventional Consumer preferences the consumer products
steam irons take around 90% of all volume Manufacturers have spent a lot of time and division of BSH Group,
sales (4.7m units) but much less in value effort identifying who buys steam irons says conventional
(around 75%), with steam generators at versus steam generators and the smaller steam irons continue
nearly a quarter of value sales. category of ironing systems. There is to be a fast-moving,
Correspondingly, steam generators are at convincing evidence that once a consumer innovation led
around 7% of volume. has used a steam generator – sold on the market. “The
But value has always been the all- back of cutting down the time it takes for recession has certainly
Morphy Richards
Advanced Finish Iron
important figure in assessing sales and this still hated domestic routine – they’re had a polarising effect
while steam irons were witnessing a unlikely to go back to a conventional iron. on the market for steam irons, as it has
decline during the months before the So it would seem this sector is the one to for steam generators, although they have
credit crunch really hit, steam generators get behind, with overall higher price tags shown more resilience,” he says. “The
were actually showing 10% year-on-year delivering retailers greater profitability. cheaper and premium ends of the market
growth. Now all bets are off as sales slow But conventional irons are not losing have shown growth, while the middle of
32 The Independent Electrical Retailer December 2009
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