Mintel’s last report on underwear retailing was published in December 2004. Overall, 2005 was challenging with the lowest growth for many years. Since 2000 there has been a 20% growth in all retail sales but this slowed dramatically in 2005 with just a 0.9% increase to reach £249.4 billion. 2005 also saw the ‘China Crisis’, which particularly affected brands and retailers importing bras from the region. It is not an issue that is totally resolved, and so sourcing production has been spread into other counties such as India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Thailand. Some retailers had to take a hit on margins – as what is 100% sure in this sector: no one can raise their prices. Deflation continues especially in briefs and in hosiery – less so in bras and hardly at all for specialist sectors such as luxury lingerie and larger-size ranges.

Mintel’s last report on underwear retailing was published in December 2004. Overall, 2005 was challenging with the lowest growth for many years. Since 2000 there has been a 20% growth in all retail sales but this slowed dramatically in 2005 with just a 0.9% increase to reach £249.4 billion. 2005 also saw the ‘China Crisis’, which particularly affected brands and retailers importing bras from the region. It is not an issue that is totally resolved, and so sourcing production has been spread into other counties such as India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Thailand. Some retailers had to take a hit on margins – as what is 100% sure in this sector: no one can raise their prices. Deflation continues especially in briefs and in hosiery – less so in bras and hardly at all for specialist sectors such as luxury lingerie and larger-size ranges.

Main themes of report

The relationship in the lingerie and hosiery marketplace between brands and own-brands. How the boundaries are blurring; what consumers’ attitudes towards them are, and how brands will fight back against growing own-brand expansion.

Store environments: how retailers are displaying their products and specifically about new moves to show by end use/occasion rather than just by brand. What impact that may have on brands, but also how visual merchandising techniques can maximise sales.

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How non-specialist retailers are growing their presence in the sector and their impact and growth potential. The impact of price deflation and its impact on consumers and retailers’ pricing strategies. How specialists plan to survive and grow.