As with many sectors, the past couple of years have been turbulent for the Bathroom market. Experiencing a sharp decline of 16% in 2020 due to the covid pandemic, a return to growth was seen in 2021. The UK bathroom market bounced back with around 15% value growth. Many consumers have accumulated savings over the pandemic and have opted to focus on improving their home environment, including refurbishing the bathroom. 

Taking up a 35% share of the market, it is Baths & Sanitaryware that continue to dominate within the sector. This can be partly attributed to the positive influence from new build housing specification, where private housebuilders are widely stipulating 2 or more bathrooms within a house along with a downstairs cloakroom. A decline or even shift is expected over the coming years with the trend towards showering and the higher number of wall-hung sanitaryware installations.

Abdul Tantouch, Research Manager at AMA Research, and editor of the Bathrooms Market Report 2022-2026 elaborates on the condition of the market,

“The UK bathroom market is primarily influenced by levels of residential and commercial construction, bathroom refurbishments, demographic changes, environmental influences, design trends, technological developments, also updates in building and energy efficiency legislation.

In 2021, the market for bathroom products bounced back, with a notable uplift in home improvement activity, including bathroom refurbishments. There has also been steady recovery in housebuilding activity, with 2+ bathrooms and a cloakroom area now commonly specified in new build homes.

Future market opportunities will arise from changing design trends and product developments that will lead to a quicker replacement cycle, with consumers trading up to added value solutions. The evolution of the smart bathroom is now evident, with the growing demand for hygienic touchless solutions. Water efficiency is also becoming a key consideration, with climate change and the increasing focus on sustainability and the environment.�

The level of bathroom imports has increased considerably, despite ongoing supply chain issues and is currently estimated at over 75% of market value. The UK bathroom market is exposed to product and design trends from a wide variety of sources globally. Technological developments such as the hygienic touchless control of taps and WC flushing systems have become ever more evident. Water efficiency and sustainable methods of production & distribution is also important, given the UK target to achieve carbon net zero by 2050.