ESPAÑA - According to Informa DBK Sector Observatory, furniture retail sales registered an increase of 7.4% in 2017, reaching 2,900 million euros.

The favorable economic situation, the increase in household spending and the improvement in the real estate market continued to have a positive impact on the demand of the sector.

Household furniture sales are the main business area for establishments, accounting for three quarters of total income. With a growth of 7.2%, this segment reached a value of 2,170 million euros.

Next is the kitchen furniture segment, in which the increase in the sale of homes allowed a growth of 9.2%. The office furniture market, on the other hand, was favored by the good evolution of economic activity, which led to the implementation of projects for the installation of new work centers and furniture renovation decisions.

Specialized establishments accounted for 84% of total sales in value, a turnover of 2,450 million euros. On the other hand, big box formats reached a billing for furniture sales of 450 million euros.

The creation of online stores and the development of electronic commerce by traditional companies allowed income from the sale of furniture on the internet to increase by 42% in 2017, although they still represent an insignificant part of turnover.

The forecasts for the closing of 2018 point to an additional rise in the sector’s business volume of around 7%, which would surpass the level of 3,000 million euros, which had not happened since 2010. By 2019, meanwhile, it foresees an increase of 6%.