The latest TTA survey of retail tile sales and ‘factory gate’ tile adhesive sales once again shows a mixed picture, particularly on the retail side. TTA conducts market surveys on a quarterly basis, enabling comparison with the equivalent period in previous years.
Respondents to the retail survey were asked two questions:
- For the period 1st October – 31st December 2018, are your total sales (ex VAT) across all product areas (tiles, adhesives, ancillaries etc) up (+) or down (-) compared to the same period in 2017?
The overall picture was marginally positive, with sales 1% higher than in the same period in 2017.
- Are you anticipating a figure up (+) or down (-) on the above for the quarter 1st January – 31st March?
When asked to make a projection regarding future sales, most expected to see a sales decline, averaging -5%.
In the tile adhesive survey, manufacturers were asked the following questions:
- For the period 1st October – 31st December 2018, are your tile adhesive sales, in the UK only, up (+) or down (-) compared to the same period in 2017?
The overall market appraisal is positive, showing a sales increase of +2%, compared with the same period last year.
- Are you anticipating a figure up (+) or down (-) on the above for the quarter 1st January – 31st March?
A positive mood prevailed when manufacturers were asked to look ahead to the coming months, with a 5.2% sales increase being envisaged.
More detail on the headline data above is available to TTA members. Access to key market data is one of the benefits of TTA membership, and this will become a growing resource over time as new sectors are surveyed.
