This is the main lesson of the PROFIL 2022* study, carried out jointly by Sofinco, a commercial brand of Crédit Agricole Consumer Finance in France, and the Institut de la Maison (IPEA), which deciphers in depth consumer trends in the House equipment.
More responsible consumers
43% of consumers say they are willing to pay more for a product they consider more ecological, without increasing their investment too much. Thus, 40% of them would not be ready to accept an increase above 5% of the initial price, against 55% who would accept to pay an additional amount of between 5% and 10% of the base price. French production at the same price is also favored by 91% of households surveyed. The repairability index of household electrical products is increasingly taken into account: more than half of households say they consult it before making a purchase, and 85% say that a low index could make them give up buying appliances. a product for the benefit of another with a higher index.
The second-hand market is growing
Second-hand goods are attracting more and more consumers, both for purchase and for resale. Furniture comes in third place among products bought second-hand, behind cars and clothes. Nearly 1 million consumers have bought second-hand furniture in 2021, and there will be 1,5 million in 2022. At the same time, households do not hesitate to give their equipment a second life. : 21% of them donated or resold a product in 2021, including 37% to promote second-hand. A trend that will increase with the implementation of the Agec law in 2022 requiring furniture brands to take back their customers' old furniture for the purchase of an equivalent new product: 76% of households surveyed indicate that they will use it.
More economical and ecological heating systems
The energy balance of housing remains a major concern for French people: 21% of households say they are dissatisfied with their heating system, including 64% who find it too expensive. The constant rise in energy prices in recent years has indeed become a central issue when choosing a heating system, which must be economical while being ecological. The comparison of household declarations on their heating equipment between 2020 and 2021 shows the breakthrough of heat pumps (16,8% in 2021 vs 13,2% in 2020). Electricity, for its part, is down (23,1% in 2020 vs 25,7% in 2021), while gas equipment is holding up (29,4% in 2020 vs 29,6% in 2021) . Wood heating is also progressing (11,1% in 2020 vs 12,3% in 2021). Photovoltaic is increasingly attractive: 8,5% of home owners say they are equipped, and 4,3% want to be equipped in 2022. Finally, 5,1% of home owners are planning work to insulate their housing this year. These significant investments will require a financing solution for nearly half of consumers.
Housing continues to evolve
There will still be many housing development and redevelopment projects in 2021. 70% of households that have not yet partially tackled them will make purchases in this direction this year. Purchasing intentions relate mainly to wall and floor coverings (45,6%), decoration (42,8%) and furniture (29,8%).
The kitchen remains at the center of attention (12% of households say they want to change their fitted kitchen or equip themselves in 2022), as does the layout of a workspace. Indeed, even if the time spent teleworking tends to decrease, 24% of working French people say they telework occasionally at least one day a week (vs. 23% in 2021). Faced with this lasting situation, 30% of teleworkers are planning to adapt or redevelop their teleworking space in the near future.
Purchasing behavior unchanged
The store remains the preferred place for consumers to buy household equipment, even if more than a third of households surveyed say that the current health crisis has prompted them to buy more regularly online to avoid going to the store. Like last year, many French people prepare their purchases online, but fewer take action.
For Christian Fuchs, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Prospecting at Sofinco: “The health crisis has accelerated changes in markets and consumer attitudes towards the planet. Recyclable, eco-responsible, reusable, energy efficient, are the expectations of the French with regard to the equipment in their homes. Corporate social and environmental responsibility is at the heart of the challenges for the years to come in order to meet these expectations. »