New bathrooms are needed

Whilst this may sound somewhat sensationalist at first, it does contain an important piece of information: with the headline “Millions of Germans did not take a bath last year”, My Hammer drew attention earlier this year to a study commissioned by the platform, which matches customers with tradespeople. According to the study, 23 per cent of Germans have not used their bath for a year or longer. The management consultancy Titze had already reported on this trend a good year ago (diy issue 5/2025: ‘The bath is taking a dip’). There are regional differences: people in Rhineland-Palatinate bathe particularly rarely. There, 38 per cent say they have not used their bath for over a year. The experts identify increased cost awareness as a possible reason – 71 per cent of those surveyed are consciously mindful of their water consumption.

At the same time, the My Hammer survey shows that 30 per cent of Germans are dissatisfied with their bathroom and would like to have it renovated. The desire for change is greatest among 18- to 34-year-olds: 35 per cent would like to refurbish their bathroom.

An online survey commissioned by Hornbach at the end of 2025 also revealed a significant need for refurbishment in German bathrooms – although this survey focused specifically on age-appropriate solutions. 49 per cent of respondents consider this a priority for the future. When asked about their ‘dream bathroom’, 28 per cent cited an age-appropriate bathroom – far ahead of purely aesthetic or energy-efficiency considerations.

The desire for an age-appropriate bathroom is particularly pronounced amongst the over-65s (63 per cent) and those aged 50 to 64 (59 per cent). Yet it is precisely these age groups that have the greatest backlog of renovation work: for 24 per cent of those aged 50 to 64, the last renovation took place more than 20 years ago. For 18 per cent of those aged over 65, it has been at least as long since their last renovation.

Of those who are specifically planning a bathroom renovation in the next 24 months, 30 per cent cite age-appropriate design as an important reason. In particular, those aged over 65 (45 per cent), divorcees (43 per cent) and people living alone (20 per cent) see a need for action.

The management consultancy Titze GmbH recently conducted a study focusing on bathroom furniture, mirror cabinets and illuminated mirrors, and has concluded that it is no longer the furniture fronts that primarily determine end customers’ choices when buying new…