Page 12 - BOSS Today Issue 16

The state of the market

Steady aS She goeS

The stationery market remained steady last year, although online sales look

promising, says GfK’s Sara Wheeler

n 2012 the stationery market brands increasing their average which has remained stable over retail channel continued to
Iremained steady. Writing selling price (ASP) by 4.9% over 2012, with increasing online increase its share.
instruments experienced a the year. opportunities. But grocers
volume growth of 1.1% and a Rollerballs are one of the increasing their product ranges n For more details go
slight -0.6% value decline in product areas which have not only for branded products to www.gfk.com/uk or
GfK’s total audited market. The lost share in the total audited but also private labels has meant contact Sarah Wheeler at
retail channels have continued market and over the Back to that over the BTS period the sarah.wheeler@gfk.com.
to show a strong performance School (BTS) period. Online sales,
especially driven by the grocers, however, tell a different story.
experiencing a 10.4% value Online rollerballs have seen a Total writing instruments split by online and offline
growth throughout 2012. The 5% value and volume growth,
key product groups in growth thanks in good part to brands
in GfK’s total audited market increasing ASPs, particularly over
are ballpoints, colouring, the Christmas gifting period.
highlighters, markers and The business channel
writing felt pens. took a majority share of the
Despite the slight value notebooks and notepads market
decline of writing instruments throughout the first half of 2012,
throughout 2012, internet sales but over BTS, the retail channel
have been outperforming, increased value share to 60%.
with a value growth of 7.5%. When comparing September
The key drivers to this growth 2012 to 2011, we have seen
are colouring, fountain pens, value growth of 37.1%, driven
mechanical pencils, rollerballs by the grocers increasing their
and writing felt pens. This value product ranges.
growth has been driven by In short, this is a market Data courtesy of GFK, www.gfkrt.com/uk, the providers of the BOSS Market Tracking service. For further
information please visit www.bossfederation.co.uk and click on the Market Tracking Service page.
12 BOSS TODAY | March/April 2013

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