Our Marketplace

Our Marketplace

Our Motoring and Cycling products segments remain core but we have a greater market opportunity in growing our existing services business.

We will evolve into a consumer and B2B services-focused business, with a greater emphasis on motoring.

Market Size, Share and Growth Dynamics

Services Overview

Motoring

Size

£14.5bn

Share

c.4%

Growth Projection

High Growth

Products Overview

Motoring

Size

£2.5bn

Share

c.20%

Growth Projection

Flat Growth

Cycling

Size

£150m

Share

c.15%

Growth Projection

Flat Growth

Cycling

Size

£2bn

Share

c.30%

Growth Projection

Moderate Growth

Retail Macro-Customer Trends

DIY to DIFM

Whilst the shift from 'Do It Yourself' to 'Do It For Me' is continuing to progress over time, with more people spending time at home and less able to go out, over the last year we have seen an increase in people searching for DIY solutions and 'having a go' at home. As the shift to electric mobility accelerates and technology continues to advance, however, DIY solutions will be increasingly difficult to manage and DIFM will become the norm.

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Omnichannel Shopping

Modern consumers expect a seamless shopping experience across all channels and touchpoints. Our mission is to provide a
best-in-class digital-led customer journey that leverages all our digital and physical assets. Our locations are an important differentiator from online competitors, providing a convenient Click & Collect proposition and the delivery of services and expertise by our colleagues in stores and garages.

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Sustainability

The requirement for sustainable practices is now impacting all businesses in the UK, with COVID-19 bringing this to the forefront of consumers' thoughts. Consumers are increasingly expecting proactive policies and action on climate change, circular processes, reduction of plastic waste and ethical sourcing. The impact that we are having on the world and the footprint we are leaving behind is starting to shape the markets of the future, with conscience consumerism at the core.

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Move from Owning to Using

Economic, political and health crises have reduced consumer willingness to purchase 'big ticket' items. Particularly apparent among younger people, there is an increasing trend towards short and long-term renting rather than owning, evidenced by the increase in PCP schemes, car sharing initiatives and bike rental.

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Experiential Shopping

The popularity of experiential shopping is continuing to increase. Retailers and retail parks are building non-core concessions and entertainment concepts, turning one-off 'impulse' visits into 'destination' shopping experiences.

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Convenience

Consumers' lifestyles are getting busier, free time is becoming more valuable, and consumers expect retailers and service-providers to fit around their routines with on-demand services and friction-free interactions as standard. Convenience to them is not just about speed but about making their lives easier, even if this comes at an increased price. Our customers want their car or bike fixed as quickly as possible, at a time and place that suits them.

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Less Brand Loyalty

Online searching and comparison is challenging traditional notions of brand loyalty. Alternative products offering better value or convenience can be identified within seconds, making brand loyalty harder to earn and maintain without possessing a compelling unique selling point.

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Personalisation

Personalisation is an important way of standing out from the vast array of competitors. Enabling customers to feel valued through personalised communications or products is a good way to build strong relationships and drive loyalty.

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Key

  1. Inspire
  2. Support
  3. Lifetime

Macroeconomic Trends

Cost of Living

Driven by an increase in inflation, raising of the energy price cap and a general increase in prices, consumers are feeling a financial squeeze with negative real wage growth for most and significantly lower disposable income.

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International Pressures

The war in Ukraine, the impact of Brexit and delays within the shipping industry are some examples of how tensions within the international community continue to impact the UK and all consumers.

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Ongoing Impact of COVID-19

Although we are now living with COVID-19, its impact is still being felt across the country from businesses struggling to get back to a 'normal' way of working with customers not returning to some industries, consumers and businesses with financial pressure, and even the new norms around 'hybrid' ways of working. The UK is having to adapt to find a balance between lockdown and life after lockdown.

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Services

Motoring

Market opportunities:

  • Electric mobility is rapidly growing in popularity and,alongside this, so is the electric vehicle services marketplace. Halfords has positioned itself as the market leader in this space with significant numbers of colleagues trained in electric servicing of Electric Vehicles (“EVs”), E-bikes and E-scooters.
  • Convenience remains essential for customers whether that’s a delivery proposition to meet their needs, a service location that’s open on their way home from work or even bringing the services to them via a mobile van.
  • Businesses are continually looking for help with their company fleets and with the pressures of an increase in the cost of living, they are looking for more affordable ways to keep their vehicles running for longer.

Competitive Landscape:

  • Predominantly made up of independent garages which offer servicing, maintenance and repair, including car parts and associated fitting.
  • Technological advancements limit the scope for effective delivery by small independent garages due to financial requirements.
  • Car dealerships are expanding into used car servicing.
  • Mobile services are a growing market segment, particularly the tyre fitting industry.

How We Differentiate Ourselves:

Halfords has a unique ability to offer automotive services from a variety of locations – our Retail stores, garages and mobile vans. We have achieved our 2019 medium-term target to increase our services footprint to over 1,000 locations and have now set a new target - 800 garages and 500 vans. Via our Autocentres, Halfords Group offers great value and convenience for UK consumers of car servicing, repairs and MOT compliance. The strength of our brand and the scale of our store, garage and mobile van estate enables us to invest in the most up-to-date equipment and technology with the majority of centres now equipped to deal with electric and hybrid vehicle servicing.

Our Halfords Mobile Expert vans deliver elements of car fitting and servicing, such as battery replacement, tyres and diagnostic checks, direct to the customer at their home or workplace. In addition, we pride ourselves on our B2B proposition in this market, having developed a strong Fleet business over a number of years and recent acquisitions mean we have an ever-growing presence in the commercial tyre market.

Cycling

Market opportunities:

  • Growth in electric mobility as a mode of transport is increasing the need for the servicing of E-bikes and E-scooters. Halfords is positioned well to capitalise on this with a well-established and well-known reputation for servicing mechanical bicycles and scooters which makes us the first retailer customers think of for E-servicing.
  • With time-pressured customers requiring even greater convenience, mobile cycle servicing is becoming a soughtafter service. Our recent acquisition of havebike gives us a great foothold in this marketplace, giving us the ability to reach our customers at a location convenient to them.

Competitive Landscape:

  • Traditional specialists and independents dominate the marketplace.
  • Physical service locations are important.
  • Rapidly growing E-mobility segment is a specialist area few retailers are able to offer, particularly not the smaller independent bike retailers.
  • Mobile service providers are a growing segment but remain a small part of the overall marketplace.

How We Differentiate Ourselves:

In the UK, Halfords is usually the first brand associated with cycling and our highly trained team of colleagues drives awareness of our services capabilities. Our network of stores are conveniently located giving customers great access to our services proposition. We have invested significantly in the training of our colleagues in the servicing of E-bikes and E-scooters and are now the largest provider of electric services in the UK. Our bike build proposition is leading the market with free six-week checks and bike care plans to make sure our customers continue to stay safe whilst enjoying the great outdoors. Our recent acquisition of Havebike takes us one step further, positioning us as one of the leading providers of mobile cycle servicing in the UK which is rapidly growing in popularity. As part of Bike Xchange, we service bikes in order to give them a second life in the UK or abroad in African communities, something which few others in the industry are able to offer.

Products

Motoring

Market opportunities:

  • Increase in demand for electric products such as EV charging cables or home charging solutions.
  • Increasingly busy lifestyles mean customers want convenience, with access to products when and where they need them. ‘On-demand’ fitting is increasingly important as fewer people are willing to fit their own products, opting to pay a small premium for assistance.
  • Online selling continues to be important to customers with strong delivery propositions essential in getting products to customers when they want them.

Competitive Landscape:

  • Limited number of specialists but a highly diverse and competitive set of retailers (e.g. Amazon) selling generalist product ranges.
  • Limited bricks and mortar competition.
  • Wholesalers and generalists moving into specialist retail markets with strong omnichannel offer.
  • Supermarkets and garage forecourts continue to sell a limited range of high-volume, high-margin products.

How We Differentiate Ourselves:

Our heritage of over 125 years has established Halfords as a household name, with 90% of the UK population living within 20 minutes of a Halfords store. We have many outstanding strengths that differentiate us, notably our exclusive product ranges and our colleague expertise. Significantly, we have an established and growing ability to provide services on demand in-store.

Cycling

Market opportunities:

  • E-mobility is rapidly growing in importance to customers and to the planet, offering a lower carbon mode of transport. Customer demand for E-bikes is continuing to grow with E-bikes now accounting for one in every five bikes sold. Sales of E-scooters remains strong showing continued demand for new innovative vehicles is at record levels and we expect both of these segments of the market to continue growing.
  • The majority of customer journeys begin online and the selling of cycling equipment online continues to be a growing area in the market. However, the need to see a bike in a physical location, to get the correct size and fit, is still an essential part of the customer journey.

Competitive Landscape:

  • Major sports retailers have diversified into cycling in recent years (e.g. JD Sports, Go Outdoors) but the market is still predominantly independents and traditional specialists.
  • Cycle-to-Work continues to be an important driver.
  • Online pure-play continuing to grow.
  • Big brands selling directly to customers.

How We Differentiate Ourselves:

Halfords Group boasts the biggest and most popular cycle brands in the UK – Carrera and Apollo. In total, approximately 80% of our bikes are own-brand, covering both children and adults at a wide range of price points. Our stores are conveniently located, and our online platform provides support and information to help customers choose the products and services they want. Many customers take advantage of our Click & Collect offer, placing orders online via our website and picking up from a designated store at a time which is convenient to them. This also drives positive store footfall. Additionally, we are the market leader in the UK’s Cycle-to-Work scheme, supporting sales and introducing new customers to our brand.