We have advanced our significant lead against our nearest competitors and with the increase in the cost of living at the forefront of shoppers’ minds, our strong price and value proposition will be a critical enabler for growth.ĭespite periods of non-essential retail closure, Card Factory remained the largest card retailer by volume in the UK in 2021. Following the third national lockdown, pent-up demand and queues were experienced at Card Factory stores across the UK, demonstrating the strength of our brand and the wide appeal of our offer.Ĭustomer affection for Card Factory is further evident in our key brand metrics, which remained strong in 2021.
Trading in the Card Factory store estate bounced back upon reopening after lockdowns in 2020 and this was replicated in April 2021. There is clear indication that distribution of market share has been steadily reverting to a mix that reflects what was observed before the pandemic. So far, the gains made by the supermarkets, driven in part by the periods of forced closure of specialist card retailers, appear transient. Card Factory’s share of the online market grew in 2021 to 2.7% (.uk and .uk), an increase from 2.3% in 2020.
While this represents a decline of 29% from the heights of 206 million units in 2020, it remains a significant increase from the pre-pandemic levels of 71 million in 2019. 147 million single cards were sold via online channels in 2021. During 20, when customers were unable to buy cards in specialist shops they moved to buying cards online and in supermarkets. The act of buying and sending cards transcends age, gender and demographic factors. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, we witnessed how deeply engrained card buying is in UK culture. Of particular note was the 44% growth of cards purchased for weddings in 2021 versus 2020. Clear evidence of growth accelerating was observed in the final quarter of the year, influenced by the easing of restrictions, increased customer confidence and the resumption of celebrations previously put on hold due to government guidelines. While fewer events and occasions were impacted by government restrictions than in 2020, the impact of Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter taking place during periods of lockdown in 2021 is notable. Some of this can be attributed to the reduced number of cards purchased per shopper, which at 20.3 is down against 21.7 in 2020. The overall UK greeting card market size has been estimated at 811 million single cards in 2021, a decrease of 3% from 835 million units in 2020. The number of UK adults who purchased greeting cards in 2021 rose to 73%, up from 71% during 2020 and a return to the same level recorded in 2019. Whilst Covid-19 caused major disruptions to retail, the UK greeting cards market remained resilient. The number of UK adults purchasing greeting cards in 2021 reached 73%¹, which represents an increase from 71% in 2020 and a return to the same level recorded in 2019. While 2021 continued to present unique challenges for retailers the world over, the UK greeting cards market proved its resilience once more.
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