NEWS | Round-up


Physical stores top for sanitaryware sales


People are funny and in this regular series, our bathroom retailer proves it, recalling some of the craziest moments they’ve had dealing with customers


Roaring, CPR and birthing baths


IT IS all in the detail in this industry and haven’t we all learnt this the hard way. By now, you’d think we could spot ‘a crazy’ from the outset, but sometimes they fool you with their normal façade and then… BANG, they phone up to complain about their fitter (‘theirs’ not ours, we must point out) and to show us just how frustrated they are, they let out a huge roar! It’s safe to say we had never been roared at before. When we have days like that, we try and diffuse the tension with nature’s best remedy – laughter. Even this has proved treacherous for us though, when during a recent giggle a team member almost choked as she took a huge gulp of water and then laughed. It took a minute for us to realise she was struggling and not just doubled over in hysterics (we are pretty funny here). Even laughing needs a H&S assessment when it comes to our showroom. Laugh at your own risk! This next request was one we didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at… We must be the only ones who have ever had this request, please do let us know if we aren’t. Recently, a client asked us to redesign their bathroom, but they said that keeping the bath was a must, as their child was born in it. They wanted to keep it forever as it had sentimental value. Now, is this aww or eww? We couldn’t decide. Now from bath to


By now, you’d think we could spot ‘a crazy’ from the outset, but sometimes they fool you with their normal façade


bed. We asked a rep to help us out recently by popping to a client’s house to sort out a constantly running concealed cistern. He booked an appointment, checked the day before, called before he arrived and, despite all of this, the client was still in bed when he rang the doorbell. That, in itself, isn’t that unusual, but after she showed him the en suite, which is attached to her bedroom, she took her dressing gown off and got back into bed. He didn’t know whether it was an invite or a passive/ aggressive way of telling him to hurry up and get lost. In between being roared at, CPR and repurposing birthing baths, we did recently manage to close early, as it was the hottest day of the year, and we escaped for a team-building pool day at the director’s home. It was all going swimmingly, pun intended, until one irate client called as their stone bath had been delivered early by a courier and dumped on their drive, blocking their car.


When we answered the phone and told her that we


were not at the showroom but in a pool, she was less than amused. Oops!


12


ACROSS EUROPE 41.6% of all sanitaryware sales were through bathroom and sanitary retailers with 27.2% through DIY stores, according to new data. In a survey by German consultancy Titze of the top 10 European countries, e-commerce sites accounted for just 19.1% of the market in 2021, with the highest online sales volumes in the UK and Germany. The online market share is expected to increase to 26.3% by 2030.


The analysis looked at all market sectors, including retail, e-commerce and contract businesses in 10 European countries, which included Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, France, Italy, Spain and Poland – a total market of 410 million people.


In Europe, almost 5.8 million toilets, wash basins and urinals were sold in 2021. The domestic market supply in the top 10 European countries of sanitary ceramics and shower toilets reached €3.4 billion (£2.88bn). The gross trade total at that time was more than €8.3bn. Overall, Titze reports that the construction of residential new-builds will increase, but only slightly, although expectations for bathroom renovation projects are predicted to be significantly better.


Shower toilets by product groups 2021 in %


Sanitary ceramics and shower toilets market shares by distribution channels 2021 – value in %


 Integrated shower toilets 70.8%  Universal shower toilet seats 19.8%


 Special shower toilet seats 4.1%  Taharet toilets 5.3%


Toilets by product groups 2021 in %


 Bathroom and sanitary trade 41.6%


 DIY stores 27.2%  Furniture and kitchen trade 1.3%  E-commerce 19.1%  Contract business 9.6%  Others 1.2%


Washbasins by product groups 2021 in %


 Toilets 72.5%  Bidets 12%  Urinals 15.5%


The report revealed that conventional toilets account for 72.5% of the market and bidets follow at 12%.


In terms of shower toilets, each country prefers different types, but on average, sleek integrated shower toilets hold the majority market share at 70.8%. Next are the universal shower toilet seats with 19.8. Basin preferences favour


Moores Furniture Group sales hit a 15-year high


MOORES FURNITURE Group has reported that August was its best month for sales since 2007.


The company said that the sales boost was driven by growing partnerships with their key customers.


Moores group sales director Michael Barratt said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Moores and shows the true extent of our commitment to keeping our customers satisfied. As our order book continues to grow, we look forward to continuing to support our customers and developing the key partnerships we have in place.”


Moores Furniture Group is celebrating its 75th year in business this year. It was founded in 1947 when George Moore set up his joinery


business in Bingley. As the company grew, it moved to its current premises on the Thorp Arch trading estate in Wetherby in 1960. In 1996, Moores became part of Masco Corporation, a major player in manufacturing for new home construction market. Then, in 2017, the Moores team staged a management buyout, backed by investment company Hilco Capital.


In 2019 the company won the Turn Around


of the Year Award in the TRI awards 2019 and last year, Moores was shortlisted for the Made in Yorkshire Manufacturer of the Year award.


· October 2022


 Single washbasins 51.8%  Double washbasins 4.7%  Hand washbasins 10.7%  Furniture washbasins 31%  Sinks and utility basins 0.9%


single washbasins (51.8%), with basins integrated into furniture accounting for 31.9%, while more simple hand washbasins reach a market share of 10.7%.


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