INDICATORS - Printer market

Context's RetailWatch 1998 analyses printer shelf space by vendor in the UK, Germany, France and The Netherlands from Q2 1997 to Q1 1998

 UK
 % SHELF SPACE       Q2 97   Q3   Q4   Q1 98
 Canon                  30   27   23      26
 Epson                  21   22   19      21
 Hewlett Packard        28   29   36      35
 Lexmark                 6    7    6       6
 Others                 15   16   16      12
 (C) CONTEXT RetailWatch 1998

Canon and Epson lost shelf space to HP, especially throughout Q4.

Other manufacturers, such as Oki, Olivetti and Brother, have a significant share of the market with more than 10 per cent of shelf space.

 Germany
 % SHELF SPACE       Q2 97   Q3   Q4   Q1 98
 Canon                  28   24   22      21
 Epson                  12   14   16      17
 Hewlett Packard        36   37   42      42
 Lexmark                12   13   10      10
 Others                 12   12   10      10
 (C) CONTEXT RetailWatch 1998

HP's presence in the German retail market keeps growing, taking shelf space from Canon and Lexmark.

Epson's retail presence is also growing steadily, at the expense of Canon and Lexmark.

 France
 % SHELF SPACE       Q2 97   Q3   Q4   Q1 98
 Canon                  31   29   27      27
 Epson                  25   26   28      28
 Hewlett Packard        27   28   32      31
 Lexmark                10   12   12      11
 Others                  7    5    2       3
 (C) CONTEXT RetailWatch 1998

Hewlett Packard, Canon and Epson have similar retail presence in France.

HP shows a constant increase in shelf space, becoming number one by the end of 1997.

Epson's best representation in Europe is in France.

 Netherlands
 % SHELF SPACE       Q2 97   Q3   Q4   Q1 98
 Canon                  28   30   31      35
 Epson                  10   10   12      14
 Hewlett Packard        46   43   40      38
 Lexmark                 4    6    6       6
 Others                 12   11   10       7
 (C) CONTEXT RetailWatch 1998

In a market clearly dominated by Hewlett Packard and Canon, Epson is growing steadily, reaching almost 15 per cent by Q1 1998.

HP is losing market share to Canon and Epson.