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Decorative Concrete Kingdom (EUDR) is likely to play a particularly significant role in future
procurement practices.
In global terms, Europe has lost ground to emerging
markets in furniture production and consumption in recent
years. However, it remains the world’s third-largest market
after Asia Pacific and North America.
With more than 230 million households, a relatively high
level of per capita consumption, and annual retail furniture
sales of EUR165 billion, Europe accounts for over a quarter
of the global world furniture market.
This is according to the latest edition of the World Furniture
Magazine published by CSIL, the Italian furniture industry
Production centre for sport flooring research organisation.
Driven by the development of sports and the rise of a national A key feature of the European furniture sector, according to
fitness craze demand for sports flooring has expanded away CSIL, is that it is characterised by an exceptionally high level
from only competitive sports arenas into individual’s exercise of business-to-business trade concentration and integration:
areas. as much as three quarters of cross-border furniture trade
Sales of sport flooring have been increasing and a new worldwide occurs between European countries where there
market with potential for the flooring industry has emerged. is a robust intra-regional trade network.
At present, there are 120 wood sports flooring production And unlike in the US where a large share of furniture
enterprises in Fushun City accounting for 60 percent of the production has been relocated to China, Southeast Asia and
number of domestic enterprises engaged in this sector. Mexico, 80 percent of current demand in Europe continues
The production and sales of sports floor reached six to be met by European manufacturers.
million square metres accounting for about 60 percent of As elsewhere in the world, Europe’s furniture market
the domestic market. Fushun City won the title of "China exhibited robust growth during the pandemic in 2021 as
Sports Floor Industry Base" in 2023 becoming the only city consumers spent heavily to improve their home environment,
in China to win this honour. establish home offices, and improve outside space.
Sports flooring is mainly solid wood flooring and solid Economic support measures in the immediate aftermath of
composite wood flooring. The species used for sports flooring the pandemic continued to fuel the boom into 2022, but the
are mainly pine, oak, maple and birch. market decelerated rapidly in 2023. According to the latest
figures from CSIL, the overall value of furniture consumption
EUROPE in Europe contracted by 3.5 percent last year.
Rethinking strategy for Europe’s furniture sector CSIL note that the European furniture sector has faced
Europe continues to perform a key role in the global furniture a multitude of challenges since the pandemic outbreak with
trade and industry, but that role is shifting as European disruptions along the entire value chain.
operators seek to reduce risk by shortening supply chains Since 2023, the rising cost of living has intensified pressure
and with introduction of new environmental regulations. on consumer spending, particularly for big-ticket items such
For wooden furniture, the EU Deforestation Regulation as furniture. At the same time, major logistical challenges,

