Unit numbers up, sales down

The European market for electric garden tools lost two per cent in value last year, achieving a total of € 732 mio. By contrast, the number of units sold rose by one per cent to 10.9 mio. Published by Bosch, these figures show that the market volume in Europe was still about six per cent below the previous year's level in the first half-year. According to Volker Pruschke, head of the garden tools product section in Bosch's power tools division, sales to the retail sector were adversely affected by high inventories that had accumulated during the long dry period in 2003. Commenting on the figures, Pruschke said that, following a poor start to the season, many competitors had gone for distinctly price-oriented marketing measures.
The European market for electric garden tools lost two per cent in value last year, achieving a total of € 732 mio. By contrast, the number of units sold rose by one per cent to 10.9 mio. Published by Bosch, these figures show that the market volume in Europe was still about six per cent below the previous year's level in the first half-year. According to Volker Pruschke, head of the garden tools product section in Bosch's power tools division, sales to the retail sector were adversely affected by high inventories that had accumulated during the long dry period in 2003. Commenting on the figures, Pruschke said that, following a poor start to the season, many competitors had gone for distinctly price-oriented marketing measures.