1.    INTRODUCTION                                                             5

       1.1  Background to the research                                            5

       1.2  Terms of reference                                                   5

       1.3  Methodology                                                       6

       1.4  Research parameters                                                     7

2.    EXECUTIVE SUMMARY                                                  8

3.    MARKET SIZE AND STRUCTURE                                              10

       3.1  Total industry sales                                                  10

       3.2  The upholstery sector                                                     15

       3.3  The motion upholstery sector                                         19

              3.3.1      The market by distribution outlet                              21

              3.3.2      Geographical distribution of the market                   23

              3.3.3      Consumer preferences                                    24

              3.3.4      Import penetration                                             25

4.    MAJOR MANUFACTURERS AND SUPPLIERS                          26

       4.1  Motion upholstery                                                         26

5.    THE FUTURE FOR MOTION UPHOLSTERY                             28

       5.1  Economic outlook                                                    28

       5.2  Forecasts for domestic furniture                                    29

       5.3  Forecasts for motion upholstery                                     32

       5.4  Trends in the market                                                32

APPENDICES

                              I     Boundaries of the Standard Regions of the UK

                             II      Summary of interviews carried out

                            III       Definition of product groups within the domestic

                             furniture industry

TABLES AND CHARTS

Chart  1    -  Share of total sales by product group                                         

Chart  2    -  Total sales of upholstered furniture at current and constant prices                

Chart  3    -  Sales of motion upholstery by distribution outlet                        

Table   1    -  Comparison of furniture sales in terms of Retail and Manufacturers’

                     Selling Prices                                                                 

Table   2    -  Total sales of domestic furniture by product group                            

Table   3    -  Share of total sales of domestic furniture held by product group              

Table   4    -  Index of producer prices for seating products                             

Table   5    -  Total sales of upholstered furniture at current and constant prices                 

Table   6    -  Total market for upholstery by product type                                

Table   7    -  Total sales of upholstered furniture by pattern of sales by product type          

Table   8    -  Total sales of motion upholstery and share of total market                      

Table   9    -  Total sales of electrically operated upholstery                            

Table   10   -      Sales of motion upholstery by distribution outlet                         

Table   11  -  Geographical distribution of sales of motion upholstery and location of                                  households in the UK                                                   

Table   12  -  Total imports of motion upholstery and the proportion of the total motion                               upholstery market                                                

Table   13  -  Forecasts for the UK economy                                            

Table   14  -  Estimated future size of the UK domestic furniture market                      

Table   15  -  Estimated future size of the UK domestic furniture market by product group        

Table   16  -  Estimated future sales of motion upholstery and share of total market