The latest research predicts that shower market sales will rise by £30 million in 2021 and see an £85m million boost by 2024.
And that is despite the market taking a £22 million hit thanks to Covid-19 in 2020.
The report also shows that sales in the shower market will return to their pre-Covid levels by 2022.
MTW said that sales in the first half of 2021 will be driven by pent-up demand from consumers in the 30 to 50 are group, which will then be strengthened in the second half by consumers aged 50+, driven by the rollout of the vaccinations programme.
Commenting on the report’s findings, MTW director Mark Waddy said: “There are healthy demand trends in the shower market in late 2020, prompting growth forecasts of almost £30m for 2021. Demand was shifting slightly toward a more value-led proposition until mid 2020, though this trend has now reversed with a release of pent-up demand and healthy value growth underpinning forecasts of more than 20% by 2024.”
The report is based on £500m of sales data and identified trends in shower controls, screens, trays, enclosures and accessories.
Drilling down into the detail, the report highlights that the domestic and commercial shower controls markets will be worth around £10m less by 2024 than suggested by pre-Covid forecasts.
It said that sales of shower enclosures continue to grow and are set to exceed £100m in the near term.
Addressing the issue of installer shortages, the report suggested that these, and supply shortages due to Covid, could well see prices increase in the short term, although it added that these trends may also reduce price sensitivity in the mid-to-higher end shower market. The report also found that demand for installations continued to rise in the second half of 2020.
Not surprisingly perhaps, during 2020 the report found that internet retailers gained most market share, but that reduced price sensitivity, rising volume demand and the returning demand from older consumers in 2021 suggested that independent bathroom retailers may have cause for optimism.