Bags and Luggage in the United Kingdom

PROSPECTS

Practicality is the most desirable characteristic as consumer lifestyles become more dynamic

The backpacks category continues to be one of the fastest-growing categories in personal accessories in the UK, as changing lifestyles, interests and jobs mean consumers are looking for practicality in their purchases. Sports backpacks from the likes of Nike, adidas, Karrimor and the North Face have seen positive year-on-year growth thanks to increasingly mobile lifestyles and habits in the UK.

Luxury handbags continues to perform well thanks to the premiumisation megatrend

Luxury handbags continued to see strong growth in 2019, as the polarisation of bags and luggage continued to push consumers towards higher-priced goods, to the detriment of mid-range brands. Unsurprisingly, Gucci was one of the biggest success stories, as it continued to record double-digit growth in the UK thanks to Alessandro Michele’s creative direction and its enormous popularity among younger, affluent shoppers.

Luggage booms as travel rates increase and experiential retail thrives

Experiential retail has been on every brand’s lips this year as they fight for the attention of consumers in a very saturated category. The emphasis on immersive paths to purchase and experience-based consumerism has seen luggage sales boom, particularly luxury and premium brands Samsonite and Rimowa.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

High street sales suffer as mid- and low-range consumers simply buy fewer bags

The troubles of the British retail climate have been well documented in the news and anecdotally by locals who are dismayed to see shops closing week after week on high streets around the country. The premiumisation (and polarisation) of bags, plus changing fashion priorities for trend-driven customers, means that shoppers are simply buying fewer bags.

Traditional men’s brands getting a slice of the action

Bags and luggage has always been associated historically with a primarily female demographic. The term “man-bag” has been part of common fashion parlance for decades.

Online retail slowly increasing as customers demand immediacy

Bags and luggage products tend to still be bought via more traditional distribution channels, mainly specialist retailers, as consumers still like to see and touch the products. However, the proportion of online sales is increasing thanks to pure players like ASOS slowly growing their share as they cater to consumer demand for immediacy and easy returns.

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