Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
Brexit will have far reaching consequences for retail, but the most vulnerable players will be in the home sectors, according to Verdict Retail.
Matthew Rubin, senior analyst, DIY & home of the retail information specialist, commented: “With a heavily weakened pound likely to force up prices when hedges unwind next year, on top of a likely fall in consumer confidence impacting all of retail, and the possible constraint to the supply of cheap labour in the longer term, all of retail faces significant challenges.
“For home-related retailers though, the potential impact on housing transactions – with a wait-and-see approach likely to dominate – will exacerbate the issue.
“Furniture, floorcoverings and large electricals have the most to fear, though homewares has proved to be more resilient in downturns in the past as consumers look to cheaper ways to refresh the look of their homes.”
He said the previous Verdict forecast for the combined home sectors (DIY & gardening, furniture & floorcoverings and homewares) of 2.4% growth in 2016 is now looking less achievable – or at least unlikely to be driven by volume growth and more so by inflation, therefore reducing already thin margins.
Even ignoring the currency and housing market anxieties, the demand to at least replace big ticket items in the current climate of unprecedented uncertainty will, in all likelihood, see a fall in the second half of the year, he warned, as consumer confidence decreases – though the longer term may be more optimistic.
“This leaves all home retailers in a difficult situation,” Matthew Rubin said. “While the total impact on home consumer expenditure over the next five years is hard to predict, the most likely, and prudent, action taken by retailers in the near future is going to be to delay making big decisions that carry significant financial risk.
“However, improvements being made by the traditional DIY retailers to their multichannel operations should not be ditched. This could be more important than ever as shoppers turn online to more easily find the best value products for their more price-conscious budgets.
“As the volatile financial markets are clearly showing, the only certainty is that everyone is in the dark when it comes to understanding the full impact of Brexit.
“With the impending margin squeeze on retailers due to inflation, and some still in the midst of restructuring, this is going to be a difficult period for home retailers – but one that can be managed through careful and considered decision making.”
