Latest News - GfK Italy
ITALY - STATIONERY MARKET - FIRST QUARTER 2011
Sales volumes of the Writing Instruments market are decreasing in Italy: comparing the first quarter of 2011 (January 2011 to April 2011) to the same period of 2010, GfK Panelmarket shows a negative trend in volume about -0,4%.
Opposite results in value, as the market turned back his path growing of +0,8%.
Amongst the main audited sectors (Colouring, Correction, Marking and Writing) the most negative performance is shown in CORRECTION market (-2,0% in volume and -1,8% in value); on the other side, good performance for COLOURING in volume +1,0% and value +2,9%.
Considering the product groups, COLORING FELTPENS show the most positive trend (+4,6% in value) and FOUNTAIN PENS have experienced the major decrease (-3,3% in value).
As far as distribution channels are concerned, MASS MERCHANDISER (including SUPERMARKETS) are increasing both in volume (+0,4%) and in value (+0,9%). OFFICE EQUIPMENT RETAILER (including STATIONERS) shows a negative trend in volume (-1,4%) and a positive trend in value (+0,7).
OFFICE EQUIPMENT: PICO PROJECTORS SUCCESS
The Office Equipment sector generated a turnover of 546 million in the first four-month period of 2011, with a negative trend of -8,5%.
After a positive 2010, Multifunctional Printers category ("all in one”: copy, print, scan and fax) registered a negative trend. Only Laser Color segment shows a good performance.
Data/Video Projectors are going through a positive phase; the "Pico Projector” segment (mini-video projector with a virtual screen) registered an above average increase and this makes them the most dynamic product in this market. This new market, born in the end of 2010, is revolutionizing the Data/Video Projection world and it could represent a new market niche for Office Equipment players.
GARDENING MARKET SHINES IN ITALY
Results from the first quarter of the year show a bright performance from the Italian Gardening market. Pleasant weather throughout the early months of 2011 played a huge part in creating positive trends.The overall DIY market increased by 3.5% compared to the first quarter of 2010, with April recording a rise 4.3%.
With the exception of March, the gardening sector recorded an impressive performance in the first quarter, generating EUR 133 million Euros through the DIY Superstore and Mass Merchandiser channel a 10% increase compared to previous year.
When analyzing the categories we can see that the main contributors were watering and cleaning products (42% on April 2010), living green products (22%), and seasonal products like chemicals (21%), and seeds (11%). Consequently garden tools, both powered and manual, suffered
It is important to note that the performance of high pressure cleaners contributed significantly to the success of the watering category; this product group demonstrated an increase of 24.3% compared to the first quarter of 2010.
CHRISTMAS 2010: BOOMING SALES FOR SMARTPHONE IN ITALY
GfK Weekly Monitor Italy shows increasing sales for mobile phones during last for weeks of the year 2010 (+ 2% in volume) compared to the corresponding period of 2009.
Along the same weeks, Mobile Phones and Smartphones are developing with opposing trends. Mobile Phones sales are slowing down (-10% volume) in spite of a further decrease in average prices (80 Euros in Christmas season 2010 against 90 Euro of one year before). On the other hand consumers choices are turning towards Smartphones (+80% in volume against Christmas season 2009) and prices also decreasing sharply during last year, from 280 to 215 Euro.
GfK Weekly Monitor also shows that the number of terminals sold by the telecom operators strongly decreases (-37 % in volume), confirming a general tendency noticed during the whole 2010. The opposite trend characterizes open market terminals, showing instead an increase of the units sold (+12%).
MEDIA PLAYERS: END OF A CYCLE?
GfK Weekly Monitor on last four weeks of the year shows a considerable break in Portable Media Players sales during the Christmas season (-20% in volume and -18% in value).
MP4 Players seem not to be anymore a fashion hit for Italian teens. In spite of the strong decrease in average prices, sales drop about -28% in volume and -34% in value.
Portable Media Players become old fashion, replaced by multi-tasking products, such as smartphones and portable phones including multi-media player functionality.
A new phenomena is the recovery of MP3 products, improved by new models based on technologies (USB,TFT,LED, MSTN..) as well as on new smart design, catching consumer interest and choices during the Christmas season.
DIGITAL CAMERAS STILL AN HIT AT CHRISTMAS 2010
GfK Weekly Monitor clearly shows the continuous good performance of the Digital Camer market in Italy.
The positive trend of second part of the year was confirmed during the last four weeks of December 2010 (+ 17% in volume and +7% in value) while average retail price is still decreasing (-8%)
Interchangeable lenses (only 5% in volume on total market) is certainly the most dynamic segment (+52% in volume and + 43% in value during the last four weeks, compared to the same period of the year before). Average retail price erosion is present in this segment too (- 6%)
Compact cameras (85% of total market) also show positive performances (+15% in volume) together with a considerable decrease in average prices (-13%)
GfK WEEKLY MONITOR ITALY: DIGITAL TV PUSH TV SETS AND STB DURING CHRISTMAS SEASON
TV sales were still booming in Italy during Christamas season, supported by the switch-off from analog to digital TV in 3 major regions (Emilia Romagna, Veneto e Friuli Venezia Giulia).
GfK Weekly Monitor shows that on the last four weeks of the year TV sales grew +27% in volume and + 10% in value, while average retail prices decreased by -13%.
LED TV, now available in all major screen size formats, are still the leading segment, representing over the last four weeks 40% of the sales in volume and 55% of the value.
More than 50% of the sales are generated by screen sizes lower than 23 inches. The shifting of the sales toward the smaller sizes, together with frequent price promotions, are the main reasons why for the average retail price decrease.
Set Top Boxes are also taking advantage of the digital TV switch. Volume sales are still increasing (+62% against last four weeks of 2009), mainly supported by zapper products (+86%) while interactive MHP models sales are dropping (-26%). This is probably due to the need to purchase set top boxes as analog TV is not anymore available, while consuers are facing an average price differential of about 60 euro between interactive and non-interactive models.
MOBILE PC SALES STILL POSITIVE ON CHRISTMAS SEASON
The results of GfK Weekly Monitor on weeks 48-52 shows good performance for mobile computers in Italy during Christmas 2010 season compared with the same period of the year before. In spite of the market growth rate of total mobile (+8% in volume, and only 1% in value) the results were below the expectations. In fact 2010 Christmas season growth rate, for the first time have been lower than the two digit growth of the previous years.
