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CLOTHING MARKET : The UK retail clothing market was worth $43 billion in 2000, having grown by just since 1999. Women’s, girls' and children's clothing account for the major share of the market, making up of the total value. The increase in working women might have been expected to cause an upsurge in demand for smart clothing, but a major feature of the market has been a trend towards dressing down. Men's tailors, such as Moss Bros Group and Austin Reed Group, have suffered from the demise of the formal suit, while the retail chain Ted Baker, which targets the 18-25 year old market, has embraced the trend and recently recorded a pre-tax profit margin almost four times that of the industry average. In the world of UK fashion, it is the ability to identify and respond immediately to trends that is all-important. Textile manufacturing is in serious decline and clothing retailers continue to find trading conditions difficult in the face of weak consumer demand and heavy discounting. Marks and Spencer, Arcadia Group, BhS Ltd, and Moss Bros Group are among the stores struggling to maintain their position. Meanwhile, the Dutch multiple chain C&A has admitted defeat and has now completely withdrawn from the British market. It is companies such as these, competing in the middle market, which are finding business so hard, since the market favors either value or premium brands. Those that are thriving include discount chains such as Matalan, Peacock's and Primark Stores, which are expanding rapidly and are predicted to increase their market share. With depressed demand and the prevalence of discounters, UK clothing retailing is expected to see modest growth in the near future. The market value is expected to reach $51 billion by 2005, an increase of 19% from 2000. MARKET OVERVIEW The main sectors in the market for clothing retailing are Outerwear, Underwear and Hosiery. Outerwear includes men's shirts, suits, jackets, smart trousers, coats, sweaters, T-shirts and jeans. Women's dresses, blouses and skirts also fall under this category. Underwear is made up of briefs and vests for men, womens lingerie - panties, corsetry, petticoats, teddies and camisoles. Hosiery covers men's, women's and children's socks, and women's pantyhose and stockings Expenditure on clothing, as well as having to compete with other durable and non-durable household goods, is threatened by increased expenditure on leisure, travel and financial services, including savings. Figures show that spending on clothing as a percentage of total household expenditure has dropped from percent in 1995 to percent in 2000. The popularity of heavy discounting stores is likely to be a factor in this decline. MARKET TRENDS A Diminishing Mid-Price Market The chain of C&A has been one of the casualties of an ongoing shrinking of the mid-price clothing market. Consumers are now tending towards the budget end of the market, which is targeted by companies such as Primark, Peacock's and Matalan, or the designer, premium-priced extreme. The mid-market has consequently become very competitive, with the struggles of Marks and Spencer, Arcadia Group and BhS to retain market share being well documented. Designer Outlets The first Designer Outlet centre opened in 1995. There are now several such centres that offer discounts of up to 50% on branded fashionwear, footwear, accessories, and housewares. Discount retailing is an important and growing part of several retail markets, and clothing is no exception. Gap, Tommy Hilfiger and Nike are among the names operating in these shopping `villages'. So called 'Off-Price' clothing is said to account for around 30% of the . clothing market. Although it is still a relatively immature part of the UK market, it is expected to grow rapidly as both established and new retailers (. Marks and Spencer and Matalan) plan to set up discount stores and enter the shopping villages. Informality Modern lifestyles, on the whole, have become much less formal, a trend reflected in clothing. While some places of work may maintain a strict dress code, they are fewer and further between — especially in the information technology industry. Many offices have a policy of `dress down Friday' where it is quite acceptable, indeed expected, to dress casually. This attitude extends into social life. Certainly some clubs and restaurants insist on a formal dress code, but many more think it unnecessary. A prime example of this movement toward informality is the huge resurgence in the denim market. UK sales of denim clothing in 2000 shot up by 8% on the previous year to reach $ billion. Sportswear Participation in sports has increased over the long term, and there is a high level of branding in sports clothes. A particular feature of the sports clothing sector is its acceptability as leisurewear, whether or not any participation in sport is intended. With the growing trend towards informality, the sportswear market is set to grow. This is evident on the UK High St with the entrance of . chains such as Footlocker. Brand Extension In the fiercely competitive UK retail market, the extension of an established brand name into other products has become common practice. This trend is becoming more popular in the clothing industry. For example, Oasis Stores PLC has developed an own-brand toiletries range, launched in October 1999. Meanwhile, designer Tommy Hilfiger has introduced new fragrances targeted at young adults. Other clothes chains with cosmetics, skincare or fragrance ranges include Ted Baker, French Connection Retail Ltd and Karen Millen Ltd. This kind of brand extension is continuing as more and more retailers are following the trend in an effort to compete with each other and offer their customers a complete product range. High street retailer H & M (Hennes and Mauritz) have recently launched a range of cosmetics and cosmetic accessories. Technology in Textiles Before the 1940s, clothes were made of wool, silk or cotton. The 1950s saw the introduction of synthetic fibres that would revolutionise the industry. Elastane microfibres, such as Lycra and Tactel, combine the qualities of stretch and control while being comfortable, durable and easy to care for. Manufacturers now claim to produce fabrics with other characteristics, such as anti-bacterial or moisturising properties, even cellulite-reducing hosiery. As a result of these changes in textile technology, prices are likely to increase, therefore assisting in growing the value of the market. Awareness of Fashion Marks and Spencer, BhS, and Mothercare have lost market share in the children's clothing market to Woolworths, ASDA Group Ltd and Next. Young people are becoming more fashion conscious at a younger age, and shun the somewhat conservative and old-fashioned image of traditional shops. This is in favour of those with a more trendy image, such as Gap, Next and Miss Selfridge. Similarly, older, and often affluent, consumers remain fashion conscious. The product offering for those older consumers wanting to appear in tune with fashion, has improved in recent years. Previously it was almost non-existent, especially at the cheaper end of the market. Larger Sizes Research has shown that British women are now taller, and more curvaceous, than in the past. This trend has been confirmed by bra manufacturer, Triumph, which has found that the average bra size has grown from a 34B to a 36C in less than a decade. Accordingly, Marks and Spencer, for one, is to use a UK size 14 (US size 10) rather than UK size 12 (US size 8) as its base model. Size 14 bust, waist and hip measurements have also been increased. With 62 percent of women in the UK wearing a UK size 14 (. size 10) or larger, there are undoubtedly opportunities for growth in the larger size clothing market. IMPORTS An estimated two-thirds of the value of the UK clothing market is imported, a percentage that is increasing as more countries with low-cost labour join the supply chain. Traditional sources, primarily Hong Kong and India, are now facing competition from countries such as Morocco and Romania. There is, however, some variation across the product sectors. Germany, Italy and Hong Kong are principal sources of women's, girls' and children's jackets. Men's suits and jackets come primarily from Italy and Portugal. Hong Kong is a significant source of imports of both men's and women's overcoats and raincoats, although in the case of men's coats, the Netherlands is the most important. Hong Kong is by far the most significant exporter of men and women's trousers to the UK, and of women's dresses and skirts. Many British companies are transferring production overseas. Much of the recent growth in value of imports into the UK can therefore be attributed to British companies, and their subsidiaries. The UK imported over $81 million worth of clothing from the . in 2000, a figure which has declined over the last few years. UK imports of . clothing goods 1997 $81,621,996 $81,139,559 $103,448,033 $121,300,429 EXPORTS Total clothing exports from the UK were $ billion in 1999 – a drop from the 1998 figure of $2 billion. In 2000, the UK exported $ million worth of clothing to the . There has been a recent trend towards exporting more British clothing to countries outside Europe, but less to countries within the European Union (EU). The UK has a reputation for quality in, for example, woollens and knitwear. However, it has been hard hit by the strength of sterling and the recent downturn in economies such as Japan, which are of great importance to UK trade. COMPETITION The Marketplace Vertical integration is a feature of the UK market for clothing. Companies such as Alexon Group, Laura Ashley, River Island Clothing Co., and Austin Reed Group manufacture collections for retail in their own stores. Place of Purchase In order of popularity, department stores, chain stores, independents, fashion multiples and sports shops are the most commonly used retail outlets for clothing. Age and sex are important determining factors in this however. For example, although department stores appeal to all age groups, fashion multiples are generally used by younger shoppers. For all the above outlets, penetration levels are higher among men than women except for independents and sports stores. Traditional mail order catalogues continue to come under pressure from discount stores. They cannot keep up with changes in prices, as their catalogues are printed weeks in advance of a season. The internet and digital television have introduced online shopping but there are hurdles to overcome if this kind of purchasing is to grow the clothing market considerably. Many consumers are hesitant to give credit card details and they like to be able to see and feel garments before they purchase. Brand recognition is important in online shopping, and it, therefore, seems likely that established High St stores may find it easier to make the step from 'brick to click' than a new online only retailer. Brand Awareness There is a high level of brand awareness in some sectors of the clothing industry. For example, the name Levi-Strauss & Co. is synonymous with jeans, like that of Nike with sports clothing. These brands will maintain sales due to firm establishment in their specific markets. However, with more and more discount stores introducing their own labels (. George at Asda, and Matalan), and the consumers decreasing clothing expenditure, mid market retailers will undoubtedly suffer. As mentioned previously, strong brand names are increasingly moving outside their original product. While this might ensure the success of, for example, Ted Baker skincare products, it also opens the clothing market for infiltration by outside brands. Market Leaders and their Brands The UK retail market for clothing is one spanning many extremes. Exclusive designer names are at one end of the scale, while discount stores and market stalls are at the other. In between is a variety of retailers aimed at the middle mass market. It is some of these that are currently finding survival so difficult. C&A is a prime example, but its demise obviously provides opportunities for other stores and products. This is not least because its withdrawal from the UK is freeing up valuable High Street sites. A relatively new entrant to the market is the grocery multiple, and the most successful example is ASDA Group Ltd. The UK's third largest supermarket, taken over by Wal-Mart Stores Incorporated last year, has its own George at ASDA brand of clothing (which had a turnover of $893m in 1999). Tesco PLC, the country's most successful supermarket chain, also devotes significant space to children's clothing, and women's and men's underwear. END USERS The total population of the UK is approximately 60 million, and is split roughly equally beween men and women. By age, the population is divided as follows: AGE % 0-19 20-49 49 + Over 83 percent of clothing and accessories are purchased by women over 25. Even 28 percent of menswear purchased in the UK is bought by women. According to the Family Expenditure survery (FES), average weekly household expenditure on commodities and services was $520 in 1999. On average, $32 of this was spent on clothing - this amounts to just over 6% of total expenditure. Although expenditure on clothing, both male and female, has grown in the past ten years, attitudes of consumers have changed. The proportion of spending on clothing that people regard as essential has declined. In 1989, conspicuous consumption was at its height and people were far more concerned with keeping up with the latest fashions. By the end of the recession in 1994, attitudes had changed and fashion had much less of a following - people still care about their appearance, but not to the same extent. This declining regard for fashion is apparent in all socio-economic groups. It is, however, more pronounced in the upper income brackets and the 25-34 and 35-44 age groups. Within these groups, people now view a holiday or products for the home as a priority over new/fashionable clothing. Despite the decline in regard for fashion, the desire to be fashionable still exists and is generally higher among teens, low income households, and the unemployed - hence the success of the discount retailers. MARKET ACCESS The UK clothing industry is an aggressively competitive marketplace, and is dominated by a handful of powerful chains. It has lower productivity than leading European competitors, and opportunities exist, therefore, for low-cost foreign competitors. The UK clothing market has to be instant in its response to changes in fashion in order for spending on clothing to compete with expenditure on other personal and household goods, leisure activities and savings. The market needs to accurately interpret trends so as to avoid surplus stock having to be sold cheaply. Rail upon rail of discounted clothes not only eats into any profit margin, but also damages the image of a shop, giving it a somewhat desperate look. There is one legal requirement regarding the labeling of textiles for clothing. The label must bear an accurate description of the fiber content. This is an obligatory marking requirement. Washing instructions and the size of garment are optional information, but must not be false or misleading. This would result in a breach of the UK Trade Descriptions Act. There are no requirements for a "Keep Away from Fire" label on any childrens daywear (but there is for all nightwear). However, there must be a flammability label on all babywear 0-3 months (day and night wear). This also applies to babywear with a chest size of 21 inches or less. There is no EU Directive on flammability labels on clothing. Clothing falls under the harmonized code of – and there is currently a maximum duty of payable. SALES PROSPECTS Clothing is an essential requisite, although consumers can also be tempted to purchase on impulse. Nowadays, few people have the necessary dressmaking and knitting skills to make their own clothing, so nearly all clothing is bought. Unusual garments and colour combinations, can differentiate one product offering from another and may be the determining factor in remaining competitive. The exit of C&A from UK retailing in 2001 has made prime High Street sites available for other chains and product offerings. In addition to this, the removal of tariffs and quotas protecting foreign markets (under the Multi Fibre Arrangement) in 2005, will increase opportunities for overseas companies. However, overseas competitors should be aware of the increased emphasis on design that differentiates British product makes it less vulnerable to cheaper foreign competition. Opportunties for . manufactured goods exist, as they are more likely to be able to compete with British designed product. Men's lifestyle magazines are helping to increase interest in men's and boys' fashion and men are more interested in fashion than they were ten years ago. Women are more financially dependent and able to spend as they like on their wardrobe, and as the proportion of working women increases, they are likely to require more clothes than they would if they stayed at home. However, as mentioned previously, the trend towards dressing down is increasing, therefore clothing purchased for the office will not necessarily include business suits. Home shopping through catalogues, the Internet, and interactive television means that goods, including clothing, can be bought at any time of the day, 7 days a week. However, people will always prefer to see the clothing and feel fabrics and textiles before purchasing so it is unlikely that home shopping will seriously threaten the High Street retailers. CONCLUSION The UK clothing market will see steady but modest growth over the next few years and is expected to reach $51. billion by 2005, an increase of 19% from 2000. Judging by current trends and evidence, it appears that the majority of this growth will come from the success of discount retailers. The diminishing mid market in fashion retailing means that best opportunities for . companies exist at this end of the scale. For more information on the UK Clothing Market, please contact: 瞎找的 看都没看