Summary

The global floor coverings market, valued at $369.26 billion with a CAGR of 5.9% forecast between 2020 and 2027, is experiencing a shift towards luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) as a leading growth segment. The French market, part of this global scenario, has demonstrated economic recovery and stability, largely thanks to the dynamism of sectors such as LVT and, to a lesser extent, parquet. However, traditional materials such as carpets and linoleum are experiencing declines. French production is dominated by plastic and textile coverings, which account for 83% of output by volume and 79% by value. Rising raw material costs and competitive pressures have led to price fluctuations and a trend towards price stabilization. Regulations play an important role, with standards such as UPEC and EN ISO 10874 guaranteeing the performance of products according to their use.

The main players in the French market are Tarkett S.A., Forbo Flooring and Gerflor, with significant activity in the manufacturing and distribution sectors. Manufacturers adopt sustainable and ecological practices, while investing in innovation to differentiate their offerings. The BtoC market accounts for 35 to 40% of sales, with DIY stores being the preferred distribution channel.

Demand trends and preferences in the French floor coverings market

The French floor coverings market features a number of trends shaped by constantly evolving consumer preferences and the economic landscape. Following the economic upturn in the construction sector, the floor covering market has stabilized, with some segments enjoying notable dynamism to the detriment of others. The luxury vinyl tile (LVT) sector, in particular, was a strong driver of market growth, posting double-digit increases. Consumer choices in the French market are mainly for materials such as tiles and parquet, with tiles often preferred for living rooms/kitchens, while parquet is preferred for living rooms/bedrooms.

Despite this, there appears to be a shift in consumer identification, as many of those who say they prefer parquet may be referring to laminate or PVC flooring due to their similar appearance. A deeper dive into the figures reveals a BtoB market that comprises around 60-65% of flooring sales, with construction activity seeing production growth of 1.2%, down from 4.7%.

In addition, the French Building Federation had forecast a positive outlook ahead of Copenhagen 19, with maintenance-improvement activity expected to grow by around 0.9% and non-residential new construction by around 2.8%. On the BtoC front, which accounts for 35% to 40% of sales, household consumption has continued to grow steadily, rising by over 10% in ten years, from around 1.415 billion euros to around 1.578 billion euros. Demand for floor coverings, mainly linked to renovation, has increased over the years.

However, growth seems to be slowing down, given the slight slowdown in the maintenance and renovation sector. Customers seem to draw inspiration from a mixture of sources, including magazines, periodicals, stores and online platforms, but the preference for in-store purchases is clear, occupying almost 90% of the sales channel.

Despite the influence of rising prices for raw materials, such as oil or wood, and inflation in transport costs, the consumer price index for carpets and various floor coverings has tended to stabilize. For example, prices for installation services have been indexed at 100. The French market reflects a wide range of preferences, but also a capacity to adapt to economic and industry changes.

Overview of key players in the French floor coverings market

The French flooring market is characterized by the presence of a series of players, each specializing in different market segments. The landscape is diverse, with manufacturers, distributors and specialist retailers all playing a vital role in meeting the varied needs of customers.

Manufacturers :

  • Pioneers in flooring innovation and production Manufacturers in the flooring industry form the backbone of the market, providing a wide range of products to meet commercial and residential needs.
  • Tarkett and Forbo are examples of generalist manufacturers with a wide range of products including various types of flooring. Tarkett is known for its wide range of solutions, from vinyl and laminate to sports surfaces, while Forbo is renowned for its linoleum and commercial flooring systems. On the other hand, specialist manufacturers focus on specific market segments.
  • Gerflor excels in the manufacture of vinyl floor coverings, Compagnie française du parquet devotes its expertise to parquet flooring and Balsan concentrates on textile floor coverings, particularly carpets, and offers a range of products adapted to different environments.

Distributors: bridging the gap between manufacturers and consumers

  • Distribution channels play a crucial intermediary role in making floor coverings accessible to businesses and consumers alike. DIY superstores such as Leroy Merlin and Castorama are leaders in the BtoC market, offering a multitude of flooring options with other home improvement products, making them a one-stop shop for home renovation needs.
  • In specialty distribution, Saint-Maclou stands out not only for its wide choice of flooring solutions, but also for its commitment to enhancing the customer experience through services such as project management and personalized assistance.
  • The Floor House responds to specific flooring needs by offering expert advice and installations.

Professional suppliers:

  • Professional suppliers, although less often mentioned in the consumer sector, are indispensable in the BtoB market. Companies like Pierre et Sol provide materials and services tailored to builders, architects and other construction professionals.

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  • Number of pages : 30 pages
  • Format : Digital and PDF versions
  • Last update : 19/05/2023
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Summary and extracts

1 Market overview

1.1 Definition and scope of the study

A floor covering is a material intended to cover part or all of a floor . This study focuses on interior floor coverings.

The market for floor coverings therefore comprises all activities relating to the production, distribution and installation of materials intended to cover a floor. It comprises four main product families The following materials are used: textile coverings, parquet flooring, plastic coverings (PVC or linoleum) and tiles. Other types of coverings exist, such as poured concrete or paint, but these are currently in the minority.

There are therefore several types of actors that correspond to the different activities of the sector: the manufacturers of floor coverings, the distributors (DIY superstores, traders, specialised distributors, etc.) and the end customer base, which includes the professional customers (companies specialising in the laying of floor coverings and general construction companies) and the general public clientele (individuals). In addition, professional customers carry out the activity of laying floor coverings for non-residential and residential buildings. However, a large proportion of the players are engaged in several types of activity, for example, they are manufacturers, distributors and installers.

The world market for floor coverings was estimated at US$369.26 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR (combined annual growth rate) of 5.9% between 2020 and 2027. The main players in the market are Tarkett S.A., Mohawk Industries, Inc. Forbo Flooring, RAK Ceramics, Shaw Industries, Inc. and Interface.

The French flooring market has stabilized since 2016 after a continuous decline before this year. The building industry The economic recovery in the building market from 2016 onwards has had a positive impact on the flooring business, which has benefited from this dynamism

However, this growth is explained by the dynamism of certain segments at the expense of others. Indeed, the boom in the LVT soil segment (luxury vinyl tiles) are the main reason for the growth of the market. To a lesser extent, parquet is also on the rise. Conversely, the most marked declines were in carpets, especially tuft, and linoleum flooring.

In addition, the market experienced a quality upgrading s, as well as a concentration of actors, which exerted a upward pressure on prices . This concentration has been the result of numerous mergers and acquisitions and the disappearance of the most fragile companies, but also the power of the leaders in the sector.

In October 2017, the Competition Authority sanctioned the three main manufacturers/distributors of PVC and linoleum floor coverings for agreeing on many aspects of their commercial policy, including prices, and for exchanging information, thereby compromising free competition. The three players concerned, Tarkett, Gerflor and Forbo, were fined €302 million. [ Competition Authority ]

 

 

1.2 Un marché mondial en croissance

Le marché mondial des revêtements de sol était estimé à ***,** milliards de dollars américains en **** et devrait croître à un TCAC (***) de *,*% entre **** et **** pour atteindre environ ***,** milliards de dollars en ****. Cette croissance est principalement due au dynamisme du secteur de la construction, en particulier dans les pays émergents. [***]

  Taille ...

1.3 A French market in economic recovery

The French market for floor coverings was estimated at *.*** billion euros in ****, i.e. around *.*** billion euros . [***]

In volume terms, the market for floor coverings was estimated at *** million m² in **** The decline is approximately *% from ****. [***]

After difficult years, the sector stabilised from **** onwards, despite cyclical fluctuations. Indeed, the crisis in ...

1.4 International trade

Les chiffres de cette section sont obtenus à partir des codes UN Comtrade suivants : Revêtements de sol et murs en plastique : ****  Revêtements de sol en caoutchouc : ******  Tapis, moquette et autres revêtements de sol en textile : **  Revêtements de sol en bois (***) : ******, ******, ******, ******, ******, ****** et ******  Revêtements de sol en linoléum ...

1.5 The effect of Covid-19

The graph below shows the drop in flooring manufacturers' activity by comparing the January-June periods in **** and ****.

Floor covering manufacturers were particularly affected by the crisis, with a peak in April, the month when production was lowest. Containment has led to a slowdown or even a halt in construction and has ...

2 Demand Analysis

2.1 The BtoB market: construction activity at the heart of demand

The BtoB market accounts for ** to **% of the sales of floor coverings. [***]

After a few years of difficulties, the recovery of the construction sector began in ****. As a result, output in the construction sector is growing, although at a slower pace. The annual rate of change in output was *.*% in ****, compared ...

2.2 The B2B market: consumer profile

The BtoC market accounts for ** to **% of the sales of floor coverings. [***]

Evolution of household consumption

The graph below describes the evolution of actual final consumption of households (***) in current prices. Household consumption of floor coverings in value terms is increasing steadily. In ****, households consumed *.*** billion euros worth of carpets and ...

2.3 Demand trends: the success of LVT

French people's preferences

The French have a strong preference for tiling and parquet flooring, the former being favoured for the living room and/or kitchen and the latter for the living room and/or bedrooms. Choice of flooring per room (***) France, ****, in % of respondents Source Swedish wood However, these figures should ...

3 Market structure

3.1 Value chain and market organization

The market for floor coverings is divided into several types of activities and thus players.

In the first instance, material producers supply the products needed to manufacture floor coverings. Floor covering manufacturers then sell the finished products either directly to end consumers through their own sales forces or to independent distributors ...

3.2 The production of floor coverings

The two graphs below describe the French production sold, both domestically and for export, and highlight the main categories of floor coverings sold.

The two best-selling types of floor coverings are textile or plastic, PVC in particular. Indeed, in ****, France produced and sold **.** million m² of textile floor coverings for ***.** million ...

3.3 The distribution of floor coverings

There are * main distribution channels for floor coverings specified retailers the traders (***) dIY superstores food superstores veadists (***) Furthermore, the distribution of floor coverings is split between the BtoC (***). [***]

Breakdown of distribution in the ToC market

On the B*C market, three quarters of the distribution takes place in DIY stores. The ...

3.4 Flooring work

Floor covering work can be carried out by three different types of actors, depending on the degree of specialisation

Firms specialising in floor and wall covering (***). Specialised supermarkets and DIY superstores usually offer to install the covering and provide efficient after-sales services. Artisans from related activities that are diversifying (***). [***]

Turnover index ...

4 Analysis of the offer

4.1 The products

On the French market for floor coverings, the following product categories can be found [***]

Ceramic floors (***) PVC floors in rolls Laminate floors LVT Floors Textile flooring (***), excluding needlepunched floors Parquet Linoleum soils Needled floors

To revitalise their offer and push customers to renew their flooring, manufacturers are increasingly turning to the ...

4.2 Prices

En ****, certains producteurs, comme Trinkett, ont connu une réduction de leurs marges en raison de la hausse de matières premières comme le pétrole ou le bois, de l'inflation des coûts de transport et des tensions sur les salaires dans la plupart des pays. Cette hausse s'est ...

4.3 Innovation and sustainable development

Innovation enables market players to differentiate themselves, which is why flooring manufacturers are constantly offering new products through a sustained innovation effort.

Some of the most popular innovations include

Modular vinyl floors (***) Tailor-made floors thanks to digital printing The patterned parquet floor Earthenware tiles that change colour Floor paint Anti-stain floors ...

5 Regulation

5. Regulation

The UPEC standard

In France, the Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment) is the body that evaluates and guarantees the quality and safety of buildings. The UPEC classification applies to the following floor coverings

QB UPEC " Ceramic tiles for floor coverings QB UPEC "Textile floor coverings" QB UPEC " Tufted and ...

List of charts

  • Marché des travaux de revêtements de sols et de murs
  • Annual change in construction output (in volume)
  • Evolution of housing starts
  • Annual change in maintenance and renovation business volume
  • Consommation des ménages en tapis et revêtement de sol
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Latest news

Leroy Merlin dominates a buoyant DIY market | Leroy Merlin is the DIY market leader. - 04/02/2023
  • Leroy Merlin: 37.4% market share in France and €10.8 billion in sales
  • French market size €34 billion
  • Market share of different players in France :
    • Adeo: Leroy Lerlin 37.4%, Weldom 4.2%, Bricoman 3%
    • Kingfisher: Castorama 13.3%, Brico Dépot 12.8
    • Bricomarché Baktor, BRICO Cash 14.1
    • Mr Bricolage, Briconautes 8.5
Leroy Merlin bets on the energy renovation market - 10/07/2023
  • The energy renovation market was estimated to be worth 30 billion euros in 2019, half of it for private individuals.
  • Leroy Merlin aims to become a leader in this market.
  • Energy renovation accounts for only 4% of Leroy Merlin's sales, but it is the fastest-growing sector.
  • 70,000 renovation projects were carried out last year, and 90,000 will be completed this year.
  • The average customer shopping basket is €40,000.
  • In two out of three cases, Leroy Merlin acts as project manager.
  • Leroy Merlin already has 1,200 partner craftsmen.
Volkswagen overtakes Leroy Merlin in the ranking of foreign companies in Russia. - 03/10/2023
  • Leroy Merlin is now the 1st of the 50 largest foreign companies in Russia.
  • Leroy Merlin preserves the jobs of its 45,000 Russian employees.

Companies quoted in this study

This study contains a complete overview of the companies in the market, with the latest figures and news for each company. :

Tarkett Groupe
Forbo Flooring System
Gerflor Groupe
Compagnie Française du Parquet
Balsan (Belgotex Groupe)
Leroy Merlin France (Adeo)
Castorama France (Kingfisher)
Saint Maclou
Espace Revêtements
La maison du Sol
Justeau
Aleluia Cerâmicas France

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