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Showers make a splash in bathroom industry

Nowadays bathrooms have become spa-like havens offering an escape from the rest of the world. Close the bathroom door and hop into the bubbles of a roll-top tub or Jacuzzi bath, and for half an hour or so you can escape the screaming children or the piles of paperwork on the other side of the door and be transported to a luxurious sanctuary....

The stresses of modern life have led many to seek this refuge in the home, and more bath lovers across the nation are transforming their functional bathrooms into relaxing spaces that rival spa and hotel facilities.

Yet, according to new research, around one quarter of adults in the UK claim to never have baths, with the speed and convenience of showers fitting in with the hectic daily schedules of much of the population.

Being clean and 'green' is also a growing concern among consumers, with short showers typically wasting less water than filling a tub - and with the days of 'rub a dub dub, three men in a tub' being far behind us, people no longer want to re-use bathwater after another family member - a quick shower it is then!

Luxury showers are becoming the focal point of many bathrooms as smart, technologically innovative showers and wet room facilities are transforming the bathroom space. Imagine setting the temperature of water to the precise degree, the flow of water to a certain power preference and timing the shower to go on at the exact moment that you crawl out of bed in the morning; the latest developments allow people to set these shower functions to suit the exact preference of each user in the home and control them remotely via a remote or even through a smartphone.

These are just some of many factors drawing a growing number of residents out of the tub and into the shower, according to Key Note's latest Baths & Sanitaryware Market Report, which analyses the market for baths and sanitaryware in the UK.

This Key Note Market Report examines the UK baths and sanitaryware market, focusing on the major players in the industry, the key political and social factors impacting sales in the domestic and commercial sectors, and the value of the market over the last five years, as well as the future of the market up to 2019. Key Note estimates that, following fluctuation over the five-year review period, the apparent market for baths and sanitaryware increased by 5.6% in 2014.

The report argues that the baths and sanitaryware market is heavily dependent on trends in the housing market, from the rates of housebuilding to the penetration of home ownership or rentals in the UK. The nation's housing crisis has made it increasingly difficult for residents to get a foothold on the property ladder, with more people renting than in the past; renting tenants and their landlords are much less likely to invest in bathroom refurbishments than live-in homeowners.

Government initiatives to tackle this crisis have been introduced, including new home ownership schemes, and the number of property transactions has begun to rise once more, in turn driving demand for new bathroom installations in new-build properties, as well as refurbishments of existing rooms.

Technological innovation is constantly seeing new products enter the marketplace, from the likes of the shower toilet to smart shower technology, where users can pre-set temperature and flow via their mobile phones prior to stepping in. Eco-friendly designs that conserve energy and minimise water waste, are also becoming more popular.

Image: Abode's Zeal floor standing bath filler and shower handset

Key Note's 2015 Market Report, Baths & Sanitaryware, is available to purchase via:

T: 0845-504 0452,
E: [email protected]
W: www.keynote.co.uk

15th January 2016