Childrenswear Retailing - Ireland

Published by: Mintel International Group Ltd.

Published: Feb. 1, 2008 - 79 Pages

Table of Contents

Issues in the Market

Key themes of this report

Definitions

Abbreviations

Market in Brief

Market size and growth trends

Who’s innovating?

Expected slowdown in economic growth could hit sales

Squeezing margins

Fashion trends are influencing children more than ever

Significant focus on the special occasion and giftwear markets

Women are waiting longer before giving birth

Poor weather of summer 2007 did affect the market

Consumers spending more on childrenswear

Consumer priorities when buying childrenswear

Internal Market Environment

Key points

Falling prices across the clothing market

Figure 1: UK: Inflation on clothing and footwear, 2001-05

Squeezing margins

Multichannel shopping is the future?

Figure 2: Online retail sales growth index, NI and RoI, 2001-12

Figure 3: Purchases via Internet in the last 12 months - all adults, NI and RoI, June 2007

eBay

Shopping catalogue popularity dwindling in NI

Catalogues holding their own in RoI

Fashion trends

Brand awareness

Figure 4: UK top ten best-selling 0-13 kidswear brands for the week ending 5 January 2008

Catering for the not so little ones

Figure 5: Attitudes towards grocery shopping and children, NI and RoI, June 2007

Impact on clothing?

Larger children risk losing VAT free status

Schoolwear is seasonal

Schoolwear is also a big issue

Let’s have a party!

Childrenswear as a gift

Baby showers

Disposable clothing

Supermarkets still going strong

Broader Market Environment

Key points

The economy

Figure 6: The economic outlook for RoI and NI, 2006-08

The Republic of Ireland economic outlook

The Northern Ireland economic outlook

Figure 7: UK and EuroZone interest rates, 2002-07

Demographic trends

Figure 8: Population change, by age group, NI, 2000-20

Figure 9: Population change, by age group, RoI, 2000-20

Where have all the NI children gone?

Fewer hand-me-downs

Women are waiting longer before having children

Industry wash-out summer 2007

How the bad weather affected children’s clothing

Summer stock being discounted

More people logging on

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Competitive Context

Key Points

Overall clothing outlook

Figure 10: Womenswear, menswear and childrenswear retail market, island of Ireland, by value, 2001-07

Improve the shopping experience

Kids’ spending priorities

Figure 11: Average weekly spend on top ten items kids buy, UK (including NI), 2007

Industry Views

Environmental and social responsibility

Supermarkets and multiples exerting pressure

Weather issues

Obesity issue

Market Size and Forecast

Key points

Slight decline estimated in 2007/08

Figure 12: All-Ireland market size estimates, 2001-12

Figure 13: All-Ireland market size estimates, 2001-12

Future outlook

Trends by sector

Figure 14: Girlswear and menswear market size, 2001-07

Future Outlook

The market

E-shopping bringing about significant developments

Consumers to spend more on fewer children

Gift market set to be a key area

Fashion trends and celebrity influence to play a major role

Organic products set for continued increase

Shopping experience

Children’s clothing sizes to become important

Companies and Brands

Figure 15: Profiled companies and brands

Department and variety stores

Arnotts (RoI only)

Bhs (NI only)

Brown Thomas

Debenhams

Figure 16: Debenhams’ product mix, percentage of turnover, year ending 1st Sept 2007

Dunnes Stores

Figure 17: Dunnes key information

John Lewis set to enter NI market

Marks & Spencer

Figure 18: M&S turnover and net profit in the UK, year end March 2001-06

Woolworths

Specialist retailers

Adams

Gap

Figure 19: GAP INC Group financial performance, 2001-06

H&M (Hennes & Mauritz)

Mamas and Papas

Mothercare

Figure 20: Mothercare, group financial information, year end March 2006 and 2007

Next

Value and discount retailers

Primark/Penneys

Matalan (NI only)

Supermarkets

Asda (NI only)

Figure 21: Asda key Information

Figure 22: Asda Stores Ltd: Group financial performance, 2003-07

Tesco

Figure 23: Tesco, RoI data, 2007

Figure 24: Tesco, UK turnover and sales figures 2006-07

Expenditure on Childrenswear

Key points

Consumers spending more on childrenswear

Figure 25: Expenditure on childrenswear in the last year NI and RoI, 2002-06

Appendix

Figure 29: Sterling to Euro conversion rates

Figure 30: Clothing inflation, 1995-2005

Figure 31: UK: Inflation on clothing and footwear, 2001-11

Figure 32: Obesity in children, by age group, RoI, 2007

Figure 33: Obesity in children, by age group, NI, 2007

Figure 34: NI and RoI birth rates and number of children born, 2000-06

Figure 35: NI and RoI, number of children born, 2000-06

Figure 36: NI and RoI birth rates, 2000-06

The Consumer

Mail order catalogue use

Figure 37: Mail order catalogues, bought in the last 12 months/currently agent NI, 2002-06

Figure 38: Mail order catalogues, bought in the last 12 months/currently agent RoI, 2002-06

NI childrenswear expenditure by demographics

Figure 39: Childrenswear expenditure in the last year RoI, 2002-06

Figure 40: Childrenswear expenditure in the last year NI, 2002-06

Figure 41: Childrenswear expenditure in the last year, by demographic split, NI, 2006

Figure 42: Childrenswear expenditure in the last year NI, 2006

Figure 43: Childrenswear expenditure in the last year NI, 2006

Figure 44: Childrenswear expenditure in the last year NI, 2006

Figure 45: Childrenswear expenditure in the last year, by demographic split, RoI, 2006

Figure 46: Childrenswear, answers to the following statements NI, 2002-06

Figure 47: Childrenswear, answers to the following statements RoI, 2006

Figure 48: Frequency look around department stores, NI, 2002-06

Figure 49: Frequency look around department stores RoI, 2002-06

Figure 50: Shops children’s clothes purchased in (in the last 12 months), by demographics, NI, July 2007

Figure 51: Shops children’s clothes purchased in (in the last 12 months), by demographics, RoI, July 2007

Figure 52: Important factors when purchasing children’s clothes, NI and RoI, July 2007

Figure 53: Important factors when purchasing children’s clothes, by demographics, NI, July 2007

Figure 54: Important factors when purchasing children’s clothes, by demographics, RoI, July 2007

Internet access in NI and RoI

Figure 55: Internet access availability, NI, July 2007

Figure 56: Internet access availability, NI, July 2007

Figure 57: Internet access availability, NI, July 2007

Figure 58: Internet access availability, RoI, July 2007

Figure 59: Internet access availability, RoI, July 2007

Abstract

The value of the childrenswear market in Ireland was €895 million in 2007. The poor weather during summer 2007 and tighter economic environment did have a negative impact on children’s clothing sales, causing a marginal decline which is likely to continue into 2008.

Influential factors are those which have determined volume trends up to 2007 (such as weather, number of children in the Irish population) and value trends are dictated by the ongoing influence of fashion and available disposable income in a less confident shopping environment.

The childrenswear market is however, cushioned slightly by the consistent demand for children’s clothing due to natural growth patterns, general wear and tear and changing seasons.

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