Vacuum Cleaners Dusting Off Downturn in UK

Vacuum Cleaners have endured a difficult time of late. This time last year, the UK Vacuum Cleaner market was worth £520m (MAT June 2007 – May 2008) but since it has seen an 8% decline over the same period this year (to May 2009) – a value decrease of £45m.

This decline has been in place since June 2008, so this comparison only serves to highlight the difference between pre-recession growth and the current state of the market - enduring 12 consecutive periods of Month on Month declines in the process.

However the rate of decline has begun to slow down in the last three months (from -13% in March to -2% in May), indicating that the market could now be in a position to start registering value growth in the next month or two. Although there have also been fewer units sold, this recovery has been staged through a higher average selling price since January (peaking at +10% in April versus last year) – and is currently up 5.3%, representing an average price of £86.

The market in May, traditionally a strong month (second only to January last year), was worth just shy of £46m and is benefiting from a late "spring clean” thanks to renewed confidence by consumers.

July is another traditionally strong month for Vacuum Cleaners (October is the other peak month), so July may be the key indicator as to whether there is a genuine recovery occurring for Vacuum Cleaners and the value decline seen in the latter half 2008 and early 2009 can be swept under the carpet.