China overtakes Europe on flooring imports
August 21, 2024
China has become the largest importer of floorcoverings into the UK, reflecting the torrid time the European market has experienced over recent months.
Imports from China rose nearly 10% to £151m in the first six months of 2024, according to data compiled by The Furnishing Report from HMRC statistics.
This means China has finally overtaken Belgium who are now in second place and down 11% to £132m, and the Netherlands, down 26% to £108m to take third place.
Carpet imports overall into the UK were down nearly 8% in the first half and it is this sector in which the Europeans have traditionally been the strongest player. China is only the fifth largest importer of carpets into the UK but the country dominates the vinyl and wood flooring sectors.
In the most recent data for June released by HMRC, carpet imports were down 10% compared to this time last year while wood flooring showed growth of 6.4% and vinyl crept up 2%.
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