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Summary of our market study
Since 2020, the global kitchen utensils market has been experiencing moderate growth, with an estimated average annual growth rate of 4% for the 2019-2023 period, reflecting a market valuation of approximately 5.6 billion US dollars in 2018 according to Technavio Research. However, trends vary between developed and developing nations, with the former focusing on ergonomics and environmental awareness, and the latter driven by rising incomes and culinary preferences, such as the shift towards gas-fired appliances in India and China, contributing to Asia-Pacific's dominant market share of 40%. In the UK, the market has appeared stable, despite a negative average annual growth between 2015 and 2018 of -6%. The market for table and kitchen utensils in the UK was approximately €1.16 billion in 2018, based on Eurostat data. The UK is a net importer of kitchen utensils, primarily from China, which accounts for 56.9% of imports, while exports are significantly lower, creating a trade coverage rate of 32.6%. Consumer behaviors such as a decrease in culinary practice among Millennials, who show less interest in cooking, have prompted the market to explore new growth avenues, including cooking classes and diversification of offerings. Concurrently, the prevalence of food delivery apps like Just Eat, Uber Eats, and Deliveroo suggest a preference for Food-Away-From-Home, impacting utensil sales. The market is moderately concentrated with a few key players like De'Longhi and Group SEB leading. Online sales channels are gaining traction, outpacing department store sales. Innovation continues in the form of ergonomic designs and specialized tools; however, changing trends, such as an increased focus on eco-friendly and customizably designed utensils, reflect the evolving demands of consumers. Regulatory frameworks, such as the European Regulation No 284/2011, REACH, and specific standards for materials in contact with food, guide the market by setting safety and environmental standards. Additionally, trends such as cooking workshops may offset the declining interest in home cooking to a certain extent..The UK Market for Kitchen Utensils: A Demographic Shift and Growing Opportunities The UK kitchen utensils market operates within a broader spectrum of household equipment and does witness modest growth, with particular trends shaping the demand. While culinary habits serve as a principal determinant, British Millennials are veering away from cooking at home, which poses challenges to the market's traditional foundations. Nevertheless, new avenues for growth are being explored through cooking courses and offer diversification to rekindle interest in home meal preparation. When we dissect the UK demographic's cooking preferences, a notable division appears based on gender—women cook more frequently at home than men, with around 71% of women cooking at least once a day compared to only 42% of men. The population aged between 50 to 64 represents the group most actively engaged in cooking activities. The current market conditions reflect a significant shift towards convenience, with a large portion of the younger generation opting to dine out or utilize food delivery services. As external dining becomes more prevalent, the demand for kitchen utensils naturally diminishes among this demographic. Food delivery apps such as Just Eat, Uber Eats, and Deliveroo further cement this trend by providing alternative dining options. However, the burgeoning interest in vegetarian and vegan diets might just be the catalyst needed to encourage a return to home cooking, potentially leading to a resurgence in the kitchen utensils market. Moreover, there is a conception that kitchen workshops and cooking classes might serve as a moderating force in curbing the disinterest in cooking. These workshops offer a valuable opportunity for participants to cultivate their cooking skills, potentially invigorating the market as more individuals seek out kitchen utensils for home use. An intriguing aspect of the UK market is the import-export dynamics, where the UK significantly relies on imports, predominantly from China, while a much smaller portion constitutes exports—hinting at a net importer status. This reliance emphasizes the fact that although kitchen utensils are diversifying in terms of design and functionality, there remains a dependency on external sources for supply. Regulatory aspects in the UK also shape the market; import controls, material standards, and environmental regulations guide what products can be sold. In this landscape, innovation in design and the incorporation of new materials such as silicone are important factors in attracting consumers. While the higher-end segment introduces sophisticated tools adapted from professional settings to lure quality-minded customers, the myriad of essential kitchen items sustains a market that thrives on variety and consumer choice. As the demand in the UK experiences a revolution influenced by changing lifestyles, environmental consciousness.### Prominent Players Shaping the Kitchen Utensils Landscape In the diverse and vibrant kitchen utensils market, a number of key players each contribute a unique flavor to the industry, ensuring that consumers are spoilt for choice when it comes to equipping their kitchens. These companies, with their varied product offerings and market strategies, cater to a wide range of preferences, pushing the boundaries of innovation and design in kitchenware. #### Major Household Equipment Manufacturers These behemoths in the world of kitchenware offer a wide array of appliances and utensils that promise to enhance the cooking experience. De'Longhi, a brand renowned for its coffee machines, also presents a line of kitchen accessories that align with its sophisticated, Italian aesthetic. Another giant, Groupe SEB, which is known for its broad portfolio that includes renowned brands like Tefal and All-Clad, caters to everything from non-stick cookware to kitchen gadgets. Bosch, a name synonymous with reliable household appliances, extends its German engineering expertise to kitchen utensils, offering precision and quality. Hamilton Beach, best known for its blenders and mixers, also brings to the table a range of handy kitchen tools that appeal to both the home cook and the professional chef. #### Specialized Manufacturers and Distributors These players, while not as large as the household name brands, provide a specialized touch to the market. Kitchen Craft exemplifies this with its extensive collection that offers something for every culinary task, from baking to food preservation. ProCook is a brand that has carved a niche for itself with professional-grade cookware that’s accessible to the home cook. The House UK brand, though specifics are not provided, likely adds to the market with its unique offerings. Similarly, Lakeland is a household name in the UK known for its innovative kitchen gadgets and baking essentials, supporting both the adventurous and traditional cook. #### Boutique Stores with a Focus on Craftsmanship In contrast to mass-market retailers, boutique stores like David Mellor and Summerill & Bishop bring a curated, artisanal approach to kitchenware. These shops are destinations for those who appreciate craftsmanship, offering aesthetically pleasing and high-quality utensils that become conversation pieces in the kitchen. #### Generalist Retailers with a Wide Reach Wayfair, an e-commerce giant, operates an online marketplace that brings a world of kitchen utensils to the consumer’s fingertips, boasting an unparalleled range of choices. Sainsbury's, a supermarket chain, not only provides groceries but also offers a selection of kitchen
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Summary and extracts
1 Market summary
1.1 Definition and scope of the study
The kitchen utensils market is a sub-segment of the household equipment market. These are used in the preparation of food, to cook food (stove), to keep it (plastic boxes) or to handle it (spatulas). Small electronic utensils will be discussed but are not at the heart of the study. The entire market, therefore, consists of various items that differ in size and use.
Kitchen utensils can be complementary accessories, the use of which sometimes depends on subjective factors such as the importance given to meals at home.
Most of the utensils sold in the United Kingdom today are imported from China. However, the decline in culinary practice, particularly among the country's Millenials, challenges the foundations of the market. It must, therefore, find new sources of growth, such as cooking courses or offer diversification.
1.2 Moderate growth in the global market
The world market for kitchen utensils is estimated at *.* billion in **** with an estimated average annual growth rate of *% for the ****-**** period. [***]
The world market for kitchen utensils, ****-****, billion US dollars
Source: ****
The significant growth of the kitchen utensils market is not the same in terms of nature, according to its location - in developed countries or in developing countries. The most important growth factors in developed countries are:
A growing need for ergonomics, which translates into an increasing need to have utensils that are suitable for users, thereby ending the concept that one model is suitable for everyone. According to a study by Deloitte, * in * consumers buys products according to the possibility of customizing them; A growing interest in the environment: consumers are increasingly aware of the importance of products' sustainability and their environmental impact. This trend affects, in particular, the materials used by manufacturers.
The most important factors that encourage demand growth in developing countries are:
Higher levels of income which translates into higher expenses, particularly in cooking utensils, which are gaining in popularity. [***] Culinary preferences are changing with the increasing use of gas-fired power plants in India and China, which should benefit Asia-Pacific as a whole. ...
1.3 The UK market has been stable for several years
It is possible to estimate the size of the national market using the value of domestic production, imports and exports made available by the Eurostat database via the following formula: market size = production (***). On the other hand, the NACE nomenclature used is too broad - it includes kitchen and table utensils - to provide a more precise overview of the market for kitchen utensils. It establishes that the market for table and kitchen utensils was €*.** billion in ****.
The market for table and kitchen utensils, United Kingdom, ****-****, million euros
Source: ****
The chart above shows a strong market increase between **** and ****, with sudden acceleration in ****. The average annual growth over the period was **,*%. On the other hand, the sector has since experienced difficulties, with a negative average annual growth rate of -*% between **** and ****.
1.4 Exchanges of utensils with the United Kingdom
The two graphs below represent imports and exports of cooking utensils by product type between **** and ****. While exports fell slightly by *.*% over the period, imports increased by *.*%.
However, the United Kingdom remains a kitchen utensils net importer, dependent from the outside world, with imports reaching *.** billion euros in **** while exports represent only €*** million. The coverage rate, calculated by dividing the value of exports with the value of imports, is therefore **.*%.
Amount of kitchen utensils imports, by product type, United Kingdom, ****-****, million US dollars
By category: knives, porcelain kitchen or table utensils, glassware, plastic and wooden kitchen or table utensils, other kitchen utensils
Source: ****
Amount of kitchen utensils exports, by product type, United Kingdom, ****-****, million US dollars
By category: knives, porcelain kitchen or table utensils, glassware, plastic and wooden kitchen or table utensils, other kitchen utensils
Source: ****
The key cooking utensils sellers to the United Kingdom, for €*.** billion, are:
China (***) Germany (***) France (***) India (***) Italy (***)
The major cooking utensils exporters to the United Kingdom, for €*** million, are:
Ireland (***) Germany (***) United States (***) France (***) the Netherlands (***)
Trade is mainly with China (***). Ireland alone accounts for **% of the United Kingdom's exports.
Main trading countries with the United Kingdom in the kitchen utensils segment, ****, million ...
1.5 Summary table of the request
2 Demand analysis
2.1 Culinary habits in the United Kingdom
In order to profile potential customers of kitchen utensils, it is possible to profile people who cook in the United Kingdom.
Culinary habits by gender, United Kingdom, ****, %
By category: Male/Female
By order: depends on the week, never, less than once a week, * to * times a week, * to * times a week, * to * times a week, at least once a day.
Source: ****
The survey conducted by the English administration indicates that British people like to cook in **% of cases but that women are the ones who cook the most, with **% cooking at least once a day. Only **% of men cook at this frequency.
The study also notes that people who like to eat out are more likely to enjoy cooking at home (***). However, **% of Britons go out to restaurants twice a month at most.
Frequency of British people eating out, United Kingdom, ****, %
By category: every day, * to * times a week, * to * times a week, once a week, * to * times a month, once a month, less than once a month.
Source: ****
In addition, a scientific study published in **** noted that the proportion of people cooking was highest for people aged ** to **. [***]
2.2 The place of catering in the United Kingdom
Catering is particularly important in the United Kingdom as **.* £ is spent each week, on average, on Food-Away-From-Home, i. e **.*% of the average weekly expenditure.
Despite increased spending since the early ****s, the proportion spent on meals away from home decreased between **** and ****, before increasing again since then.
Share of food expenses spent on meals outside home, United Kingdom, ****-****, %
Source: ****
This tendency to eat outdoors is especially true for young people. This means that they are certainly the population least interested in buying cooking utensils.
Frequency of outdoor meals by age, United Kingdom, ****, number of visits per month
By order: Snack, dinner, lunch, breakfast
Source: ****
Some types of restaurants are more popular than others to British people. This is the case for the pubs which remain the first catering establishments visited by British people, before English and Asian restaurants respectively. The latter can, therefore, be favoured when it comes to distributing kitchen utensils. [***]
2.3 Millenials cook less and less
One trend is particularly relevant to young people: the trend to cook less and less. About a quarter of them say they are not interested in learning how to cook although **% of the Millenials are happy to cook. [***]
This lack of knowledge is reflected on the one hand in increased consumption of outdoors meals - the study finds a **% decrease in the number of meals cooked at home over the past ** years - and, on the other hand, by consuming less diverse dishes than before.
This trend goes hand in hand with the growing importance of different home delivery applications. AHDB, which uses MCA's figures, notes that Food-Away-from-Home generated £*.* billion in turnover in the United Kingdom in ****, **.*% more than the previous year. As a result, it is becoming increasingly easy for people in the United Kingdom not to cook, a choice that can be costly for finances and consumer health. [***]
The most popular applications in the United Kingdom are:
Just Eat (***) Uber Eats (***) Deliveroo (***)
The need for cooking utensils for this category of the British population is therefore limited. However, this trend could be curbed as vegetarian and vegan movements encourage a return to cooking.
2.4 Cooking workshops are expanding in the United Kingdom
However, another trend could counter the British disinterest in cooking, albeit marginally. It is kitchen workshops, which allow participants to learn how to cook some recipes.
This could help to limit the loss of current cooking knowledge in the United Kingdom. [***]
These courses can be found on travel sites like Trip Advisor or Airbnb which offer users experiences in the city of their choice. In London, for example, it is possible to take cooking courses such as:
Homemade pasta cooking from ** euros per person Creation of macaroons from ** euros per person Butter and cheese creation workshop from ** euros per person
3 Market structure
3.1 A relatively concentrated market
The Euromonitor data used in this section cover small kitchen appliances. These brands are generally specialized in kitchen items. A few companies, such as Spectrum Brands Holding or the SEB Group, control several brands.
Market share of companies for kitchen appliances, United Kingdom, ****, %
Source: ****
3.2 Online distribution is gaining ground
There are no data on kitchen utensils' distribution, but it is possible to give an overview by using the data for a related market: small kitchen appliances.
A large proportion of small kitchen appliances are still sold in physical stores, including department and specialised stores. However, sales on the Internet have increased significantly in recent years, becoming more important than distribution in department stores (***).
Distribution of small kitchen appliance sales by distribution channel, United Kingdom, ****-****, %
By category: Specialised store, mass-market retailers, other physical stores, online sales, other sales in non-physical stores.
Source: ****
4 Analysis of the offer
4.1 Overview of traditional kitchen utensils
The number of kitchen items is important and is growing very quickly with new tools from the simplest to the most elaborate ones. This market having globally reached maturity, kitchenware manufacturers regularly innovate with new specialized tools for certain types of preparation, food or, in another segment, robots and other more technical and therefore more expensive household appliances.
Below is a non-exhaustive list of different kitchen utensils found in any cookware set, with an overview of the main producers' prices.
Cutting tools
The first essential utensils to be found in a kitchen. They are available in steel, ceramic or titanium, in different sizes, and especially for different uses: to cut meat, bread, fish, vegetables, etc.
The prices of kitchen knives are very variable and depend on the material used to make them, the brand, the handle... Thus, Amazon provides ** knives sets for about £**, which can reach just over £*** for the most expensive ones.
Cooking equipment Casseroles and frying pans Spatulas, wooden spoons, whisks Dishes, cake, pie, gratin dishes Pot, casserole dish, casserole dish
While a frying pan costs on average £** on Amazon, a glass baking mould is sold for just under £**.
Utensils related to food preparation Bowls, cups, measuring glasses, Strainers, ...
4.2 More original and professional utensils
More and more original utensils
British people now want to have utensils with an original design. The use of silicone on utensils becomes frequent, replacing the traditional one-piece plastic, which until then had been the norm. [***]
Manufacturers also bet on the multiplication of utensils by attributing them a very particular utility:
The One Touch Can Opener allows you, for example, to open a can with a simple press of the button [***] Vantic's rasp can be placed around the fingers, which simplifies its use [***]
This commitment to modernity - in design and use - should enable the sector to make cooking easier while attracting new customers.
Tools for professionals, at home
USA Today, an American information site, notes the appearance of kitchen equipment previously reserved to professionals. The Marcato Atlas *** allows you to make your own fresh pasta, for example.
Other tools, such as the Thermomix, a versatile mixer, or tungsten carbide knives, were introduced. Despite a price that often remains high, consumers can have access to it and generally see it as a guarantee of quality.
5 Rules and regulations
5. General regulations concerning kitchen utensils
Importing utensils
European Regulation No ***/**** aims to control imports of polyamide and melamine cookware from China and Hong Kong, which means to control the import of plastic cutlery.
The competent authorities:
Control documents of all batches and physically check **% of the batches; Have set requirements for the release of organic compounds, primary aromatic amines and formaldehyde.
The importers are:
Submitted to the declaration of each batch;
The declaration must contain a laboratory report demonstrating that: Polyamide cooking utensils do not release primary aromatic amines in detectable amounts into food (***); Melamine kitchen utensils do not release formaldehyde into food in quantities greater than ** mg/kg.
ISO standards
ISO (***) proposes many legislative procedures to be followed for the category "cookware, cutlery and cutlery" in catalogue **.***.**.
The standards mainly revolve around:
The nomenclature Maximum or minimum use of certain materials Prohibition of certain materials.
Materials in contact with food
The ****/**** European regulation publishes a number of rules concerning materials and utensils intended to be in contact with food [***]:
Materials must not release their constituents into the food at levels that could endanger the health of consumers. The materials must not alter the taste, composition or odour of the food in an unacceptable manner.
It ...
6 Positioning of the actors
6. Positioning of the actors
- SEB UK
- Bosch UK
- Hamilton Beach
- Kitchen Craft
- ProCook
- House UK
- Lakeland
- David Mellor
- Summerill & Bishop
- Wayfair
- Sainsbury
- Tesco
- DeLonghi
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the kitchen utensils market | UK
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