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Summary of our market study
The French candle market is estimated at over 130 million euros.
The global candle market, valued at $6.8 billion in 2020 after a slowdown due to the COVID-19 crisis, has shown resilience with a projected CAGR of 5.26% from 2023 to 2028.
In France, the market slowed in 2020, but has shown signs of recovery.
The French market is highly concentrated, with five companies accounting for 75% of national production. Major market players such as Yankee Candle and The White Company testify to the market's dynamism, as do small, emerging local artisans thriving on social media promotion and craft fairs.
French regulations are strict and guarantee the safety and quality of candle production, with mandatory labeling requirements under CLP and compliance with REACH and IFRA standards.
French market trends: consumers prefer decorative and scented candles
Scented candles have boosted the French market, accounting for a substantial share of sales, particularly in the high-end segment. Despite a drop in sales in 2020, the market has recovered, with an increase in imports and exports, and a reduction in the trade deficit.
Demand for candles can be segmented into birthday candles, gift candles, lighting candles and deodorizing scented candles. Tea lights and cast candles remain popular with consumers, with fragrance and price being the main purchasing criteria. Demand peaks during the festive season.
Handmade, local and natural candles are enjoying a revival. These candles appeal to a niche market that prefers ecological and decorative options, and are taking advantage of online sales platforms and social networks to strengthen their market presence.
The rise in demand for handmade candles is in line with the growing interest in local products among around 95% of the French population.
An unexpected rise in demand was linked to the conflict in Ukraine. Consumers stockpiled candles and this led to a significant spike in sales, particularly for traditional unscented white candles.
Candle market players
- Emosia group, which includes Ambiance Devineau, Lampes Berger, Ciergeries Desfossés, Bougies La Francaise
- Yankee Candle, a brand synonymous with fragrance and variety, has become an influential name in the pantheon of candle makers. With over 200 scents in its catalog of more than 500 candles.
- Baobab Collection comes from the world of gifts and decoration. The company specializes in luxury scented candles and diffusers, with an emphasis on craftsmanship and the celebration of African art and landscapes.
- La Française candles, created over a century ago, combine heritage and innovation to offer a wide range of scented and decorative candles.
- CIR Trudon, distinguished by the diversity of its candle range, has established itself in the market thanks to its adaptability and the breadth of its offer, which includes both scented and unscented varieties. They reflect an understanding of market trends and consumer desires, catering to different segments and occasions.
- Esteban, a major manufacturer also present in Italy and Japan
- Denis et Fils, a company more than a century old and one of the market leaders
- Maisons du Monde offers a vast selection of candle-related home decoration products.
- In the field of eco-friendly craftsmanship, Durance focuses on the natural appeal of candles. They emphasize the use of environmentally-friendly organic ingredients.
- Retailers such as Zara Home and Alinéa include candles in their stylish homeware collections.
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Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Market overview
The candle is a lighting object consisting of a wick wrapped in wax, which can have a decorative function by creating a source of light, but also an olfactory function by diffusing a specific scent. Today's candle market also includes electric and digital candles , alongside traditional candles. However, there are also other types of candle, such as tea lights, birthday candles, cartridge candles and so on.
After a significant drop in overall sales in 2020, following supply problems linked to the COVID-19 health crisis. The global candle market picks up again in 2021 and 2022, and should record an average annual growth rate of 5.26% between 2023 and 2028. Europe, whose candle market is expected to grow strongly in the coming years, is the geographic region that dominates the candle market, ahead of the American and Asian markets.
Consumers are increasingly buying candles to decorate their homes. The ease of purchase and the availability of different types of candles on multiple distribution channels are encouraging more and more people to buy them. Specialized decoration stores are seeing increasing competition from supermarkets and hypermarkets, which are positioning themselves in the segment and benefiting from reduced prices and a varied offer that is attracting more and more buyers. E-commerce is also helping to boost candle sales in France.
In France, scented candles are driving market growth, with strong growth in sales of high-end scented candles in particular. The market's upward trend has, however, been halted by Covid, with 2020 marking a sharp contrast with a record year in 2019.
1.2 A fast-growing global market
According to a study by Zion Market Research, the global candle market was estimated at $*.* billion in ****. This was expected to grow at a relatively high rate, averaging around *.*% each year until ****. However, with the COVID-** crisis largely undermining supply chains, the candle market was down to an estimated $*.* billion in ...
1.3 French growth slowed by the health crisis
In ****, the candle market in France was worth €***.* million. This value is obtained by adding the value of domestic candle production (***).
Proceeding in the same way, and taking into account the increase in industrial investment, we estimate the French candle market at €***.* million. We consider an overall increase in production in ...
1.4 International trade
France has a sizeable trade deficit when it comes to the candle market. Indeed, the country's candle exports are lower than its imports, although the difference is tending to decrease. There will be a sharp increase in both imports and exports by ****[***]. With exports growing faster than imports, France's candle trade ...
2 Demand analysis
2.1 Reasons for requesting candles
There are many different types of candle, used in many different situations. Despite the absence of statistical data, it is possible to draw up a typology of supply based on these different demands:
The offer is thus segmented into candles used for birthdays, candles intended as gifts, candles whose main function ...
2.2 A demand driven by scented candles
According to a report by the European Candle Association(***), the space allocated to candles in stores is shrinking all the time.
However, some types of candle are managing to maintain sales growth despite the current price war. Such is the case with votive candles (***), which come in a variety of ...
2.3 A new aesthetic demand
Today, the candle's original luminous function has been largely forgotten, and has given way to a new, more dynamic use by a new generation. The candle market is being driven by scented candles, which meet a new demand. Indeed, candle pure player Yankee Candle now offers over *** different scents and a ...
2.4 Request for handmade, local and natural candles
Over the past few years, the craft industry in France has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity across the full range of areas covered by this branch of the trade. The boom in micro-businesses has helped to develop small-scale crafts and attract many young people to the market. The craft industry is ...
2.5 Contextual demand linked to rising energy prices
The war in Ukraine has caused energy prices in Europe to soar, and this energy crisis has been a boon for the candle market in France and Europe. The risk of power cuts announced by EDF for the winter of ****-**** caused demand for candles to skyrocket.
This prompted candle makers ...
2.6 Meilleures ventes Amazon
Leader incontesté de la vente en ligne, Amazon propose une gamme élargie de bougies. Afin de mieux saisir les spécificités de la demande, il peut être intéressant de s'attarder sur les meilleures ventes de la catégorie "bougies". Ci-après, les meilleures ventes de bougies sur Amazon dans ...
3 Market structure
3.1 A highly concentrated market
According to the Syndicat Général des Fabricants de Bougies et Ciriers, the candle-making market is particularly concentrated, with * companies accounting for **% of national production. Listed below are the union's members, with their most recent sales figures where available.
Source: ****
3.2 Candle composition
Candles are all made from the same raw materials, in different proportions (***). [***]
Wax and kerosene give the candle its hardness. These materials can be used pure or in combination. Today, kerosene is by far the most widely used candle-making material. [***]
In recent years, kerosene gel has made its appearance alongside waxes ...
3.3 Distribution organized according to candle offering
We can distinguish several distribution channels for candles, each of which distributes more or less high-end candles.
Mass retail (***): a segment positioned at the lower end of the market; Home decoration department stores: low to mid-range; Cosmetics stores: medium to high-end.
While supermarkets mainly distribute low-end candles such as low-cost tea-lights, ...
4 Offer analysis
4.1 Many different candles on the market
The Syndicat Général des Fabricants de Bougies et Ciriers offers an overview of the different candles sold on the market. A distinction can be made between two types of product:
Antique (***); Scented candles, which are more recent, and within which we need to distinguish between mood candles and massage ...
4.2 Prices vary widely according to candle type
There are no statistical data on candle prices in France. However, it is possible to record the prices charged by distributors and major candle brands.
The table below shows the unit prices observed on brand websites.
Source: ****
While theECA refers to the price war for tea lights, linked to their low ...
4.3 A range split between low and high end
Scented and jewelled candles gain ground
Blended with essential oils or fragrances that give them a distinctive, pleasant scent, scented candles are gaining ground with consumers. One of the sector's leaders, Party Lite, for example, achieved sales of **.* million euros in ****. [***]
Party Lite explains in particular that these highly profitable candles ...
4.4 Tendances de l'offre : la cire d'abeille
La cire d'abeille est une alternative bien connue à la cire traditionnelle de paraffine. Le tableau suivant répertorie les meilleures ventes sur le site Amazon :
5 Regulations
5.1 Labeling requirements for candles placed on the market
When placing a chemical product on the market, manufacturers are required to label their products according to the CLP (***) standard. This obligation came into force in ****.
In concrete terms, this means the following rules for scented candles and fluxes:
Danger pictograms must appear where necessary; If hazardous substances or allergens are ...
5.2 Rules for scented candles in France
The Syndicat Général des Fabricants de Bougies et Ciriers reports on a study published in **** on the risks associated with the use of scented candles.
Candles imported from other countries (***) are not all subject to the same regulations. In France, there are numerous rules governing the design, production and ...
6 Positioning the players
6.1 Segmentation
- Yankee Candle France
- Esteban
- Durance
- Bougies La française - My Jolie Candle ( (Emosia Groupe)
- Baobab Collection
- Geodesis
- Hypsipyle
- Ciergerie Constant Desfossés (Emosia Groupe)
- Manufacture française de Bougies
- Bourguignonne des Cires et Dérivés
- Bach frères
- Ciergerie Leroy
- CIR Trudon
- Bougie et Senteur
- Alinéa
- Ciergerie du Sud-Est - Notre dame de france
- Eurobougie
- Devineau (Emosia Groupe)
- Denis & fils Bougies
- Habitat France
- Les Bougistes
- L Déco Bougies Naturelles
- Maison Montagut - Le Chatelard
- Emosia Groupe (Maison Berger)
- Diptyque
List of charts presented in this market study
- Candle market trends
- Candle market trends for manufacturers
- Breakdown of candle production by category
- Number of people using scented candles as air fresheners
- Evolution of interest in the "candles" search on Google
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Latest news
Habitat furniture chain applies for receivership - 30/11/2023
- Habitat's sales in 2019 were €100 million.
- In 2020, sales fell to 80 million euros.
Alinea takes over Zôdio - 20/08/2023
- Adeo is the parent company of Leroy Merlin and Zôdio.
- Adeo has announced the sale of Zôdio to Alinea.
- Alinea and Zôdio share common shareholders in the Mulliez family association.
- Alinea was founded in 1989, has sixteen stores and generated 180 million euros in 2022 with 837 employees.
- Alinea plans to open two new sites in October in Mâcon, Saône-et-Loire, and in November in Annemasse, Haute-Savoie.
- Zôdio, launched in 2007, has twenty sites and sales of €150 million, with 828 employees.
- After filing for bankruptcy in 2020, Alinea reduced its store base from 26 to 16, cutting around 1,000 jobs.
- Alinea is 85% owned by the Mulliez family association and the remainder by Alexis Mulliez.
- The aim of the Zôdio takeover is to "rapidly become a major player in furniture and decoration in France"
- Adeo continues to refocus on DIY and home improvement, after spinning off Tikamoon in 2020 and Decoclico in 2021.
Ready-to-wear: Montagut continues to expand its international network - 20/06/2023
- Year Maison Montagut was founded: 1880
- Total sales: 80 million euros
- Sales outside France: 65 million euros
- Share of sales in China: over 50% of international sales
- Share of e-commerce in China after the Covid-19 crisis: over 50%, before the Covid-19 crisis: 10%
- Number of employees in France: 70
- Number of directly-operated boutiques in France: 10
- Sales of Châtelard 1802: 1.6 million euros (taken over by Maison Montagut)
- Beau Nuage sales: less than 1 million euros (taken over by Maison Montagut)
- Total number of outlets selling Montagut products: 370
A new general manager for Alinea - 06/02/2023
- 17 stores closed in 2020
- Sales of €172 million in 2021, up 16% on 2020
Groupe Montagut opts for external growth - 20/07/2022
- - The fil lumière, the brand's innovation, plays a key role in its export development
- - Asia accounts for 60% of the brand's sales.
- - In China, Maison Montagut has around a hundred boutiques.
- - The brand's target clientele includes men and women in their forties with strong purchasing power.
- - Maison Montagut has a dozen boutiques and 150 retailers in France.
- - Groupe Montagut, which includes production units in France, Portugal and Poland, generates sales of 40 million euros.
- - Acquisition of Chatelard 1802 by Groupe Montagut in November 2021 -The brand, specialized in the scents of Provence, generates 45% of its sales from exports.
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the candle market | France
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