Over the past three years, U.K. consumers have shown a marked preference for carpets over hard flooring options such as wood and vinyl. According to the Office for National Statistics' (ONS) annual family spending survey, soft flooring accounted for 87.5% of family flooring expenditures in 2023. This represents a steady increase from 86% in 2022 and 83% in 2021. Correspondingly, the share of spending on hard flooring has declined, dropping from nearly 17% in 2021 to 12.5% last year.
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Despite separate ONS production data and HMRC trade data suggesting that hard flooring may still hold a significant market share, the trend toward carpets is clear. The shift indicates a growing consumer preference for the comfort and warmth provided by carpets, especially as households reassess their flooring needs.
In terms of spending, families in the U.K. spent an average of £166.40 on all types of floorcoverings in 2023, a decrease from £187.20 in the previous year.
Source: www.ons.gov.uk