Global housewares market data show an overall retail sales increase of 2.6 percent in 2013, slightly lower than the 2.9 percent increase posted in 2012, according to the International Housewares Association’s (IHA) newly released 2014 State of the Industry Report.
In the United States, total housewares sales increased 5.9 percent in 2013. Meanwhile, average U.S. household expenditures declined 2.5 percent, according to the IHA.
The mass merchants/super centers channel was the sales leader in all housewares categories for the second consecutive year. Retail channels where percentages of total housewares sales versus prior year increased include: Internet retailers, supermarkets, warehouse clubs, variety/one price stores and the other classification (c-stores, garden centers, patio specialty and all others). Meanwhile, wholesalers’ share slipped to 9.8 percent in 2013 from 11.7 percent in 2012. The largest share gain was posted by Internet retailers, up 1.7 percent to 3.7 percent in 2013, according to IHA data.
Non-store retailing represented the second-largest share of housewares sales in 2013. E-commerce retail sales continue to post yearly total sales gains. When combined, these housewares retail channels – Direct to Consumer via Manufacturer Website and Catalogs/TV and Internet Retailers – reached 15.5 percent in share of total housewares retail sales versus 15 percent in 2012 and 13.1 percent in 2011.
The top three housewares categories for 2013 were cookware and bakeware (16.8 percent of housewares sales), kitchen tools and accessories (13.2 percent) and kitchen electrics (12.2 percent). Tabletop slipped to number four, accounting for 11.5 percent of sales.
The top 10 retailers in 2013 in rank order of housewares sales were: Wal-Mart, Costco, Target; Bed, Bath & Beyond; Sam’s Club; Williams-Sonoma; Home Depot; Walgreen’s; Dollar General and Kmart. These retailers’ share of total housewares sales stood at 65.2 percent of the market at the end of 2013, according to IHA data.
