Western Europe

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered the most severe global recession since World War II. In Q4 2020, the end of the pandemic started as countries began administering effective vaccines among the population; however, vaccine distribution…

As the end of 2021 approaches, almost two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the emergence and rapid spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant has increased uncertainty and weakened the momentum of the global recovery. This series of quarterly reports…

France experienced a drop in consumer confidence in 2022, which was attributed to a surge in inflation resulting from a rise in energy prices, driven by war in Ukraine. This increase in energy costs also led to a rise in agricultural expenses and…

Home and garden sales recorded strong current value growth in 2022, albeit with inflation-driven price increases playing quite a big role in this, with growth in real (constant) value terms advancing at a slower rate. German consumers continued their…

In 2022, Italy's home and garden market saw demand undermined by the high rate of inflation, which was around 8.2%. With consumer confidence dropping from the previous year, consumers were more cautious with their spending and many opted to purchase…

While gardening and home improvement continued to record dynamic and accelerating growth in 2022, homewares and home furnishings both saw considerable slowdowns, resulting in markedly different performances of the various home and garden categories.…

In 2022, value sales of home and garden in Sweden experienced a marginal decline following the pandemic boom, although they remained higher than 2019 levels. As restrictions in Sweden gradually eased in 2022, many local consumers started to spend…

The home and garden industry in Switzerland experienced a decline in value sales (at constant prices) in 2022, compared to pre-pandemic levels. One of the primary reasons for this decline was the country's inflation rate, which stood at around 2.8%,…

In 2022, value sales of home and garden in the Netherlands remained elevated when compared to pre-pandemic levels. However, the various categories within home and garden – gardening, home furnishings, home improvement and homewares – registered…

Home and garden in the UK experienced a marginal increase in current value sales in 2023 following a decline in 2022, which was due to a confluence of economic headwinds that significantly impacted consumer spending. The increasing inflation rate,…

The performance of home and garden in Turkey in 2022 was characterised by inordinately high inflation. According to OECD figures, the country witnessed an annual inflation rate of 73.2% in 2022, which resulted in a three-percentage point decline in…

In 2022, France witnessed high inflation, which was mainly attributed to the hike in energy and commodity prices. Consequently, local consumers sought ways to reduce their expenses and turned to more affordable options, including light-emitting diode…

Home furnishings recorded a strong rebound in 2022, following the declining sales this category registered a year earlier. Consumers had been focusing on essential items in 2021, rather than home furnishing products such as indoor furniture, dining…

In contrast to gardening, home furnishings saw decline in demand during the COVID-19 crisis, with an upturn in its performance as pandemic related restrictions were withdrawn. The category continued to grow in 2022, however sales remained below the…

In 2022, lighting was the fastest growing category within home furnishings in Spain, driven by further demand for light-emitting diode lamps (LED). LED lamps have been growing dynamically for a number of years due to their energy-saving credentials.…

In 2022’s economic climate, which was fuelled by the cost-of-living crisis and the rise in prices for commodities, including energy, Swedish consumers increasingly searched for options that helped reduce costs. This compounded the declines already…

The home furnishings category in Switzerland experienced a decline in value sales in 2022 compared to pre-pandemic levels. This decline was due to the rise in inflation and recession, which led to a decrease in consumer spending. Moreover, intense…

After the easing of the pandemic and restrictions in 2022, consumers in the Netherlands wanted to revive their living spaces to create a sense of newness. As this trend resonated with the Art Deco movement, which was popular in the 1920s and 1930s in…

For decades, barbecues have been a cornerstone of summertime in the UK, offering a convivial and flavourful way to enjoy meals outdoors. However, recent years have witnessed a significant surge in their popularity, driven by several factors. Firstly,…

Extremely high inflation rates in Turkey in 2022 drove high current value growth in home furnishings in the country, but also caused a significant contraction in value demand at constant 2022 prices, as consumers were forced to decrease the amount in…