BEDS

We can grow market by 15%, says NBF president

Published 29.09.2011 06:43 | Last Updated 29.09.2011 06:43

The president of the National Bed Federation (NBF) has called on the bed industry to come together to grow the total size of the market by £166m.

At his keynote address to the industry at the NBF Bed Show, Simon Spinks said knocking just one year off the consumer bed replacement cycle would help grow the market by 15 per cent, to the benefit of all market participants.

He said research pointed to consumers changing their beds roughly as often as the industry tells them to - every 8 to 10 years - so changing the message in stores up and down the country could have a significant effect.

The NBF's promotional body, the Sleep Council, is to kick off a trade and consumer campaign called the Seven Year Hitch, supporting the message. It will feature a series of advertisements across diverse media aiming to play up the negative effects an old bed may have on the quality of sleep, as well as encouraging punters to change their bed more often.

Retailers will also be able to download associated marketing materials from the sleepbiz.co.uk trade website for their own use.