The German residential furniture industry recorded a challenging year in 2025, according to preliminary figures from the Verband der Deutschen Wohnmöbelindustrie. Total revenue for the year amounted to just under €4.7 billion, down 5.5 percent compared with 2024.
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December revenue for the segment covering living, dining and bedroom furniture reached approximately €342 million, representing a 3.2 percent decline year-on-year. Domestic sales fell 6.7 percent, while exports, totalling €1.4 billion, experienced a smaller decline of 2.7 percent. Sales to other Eurozone countries were particularly affected, dropping by 9.4 percent.
The revenue distribution reflects broader industry composition: 40 percent from furniture components, 30 percent from living, dining and bedroom furniture, 13 percent from furniture in other materials, 10 percent from small furniture items, and 7 percent from non-upholstered seating.
Employment and business numbers also fell. On average, 22,885 people worked in the sector, while the number of operating businesses dropped to 162 in December, down from an annual average of 164, a decline of 7.1 percent.
The figures indicate the residential furniture industry faces pressure both domestically and abroad, with shrinking sales, reduced workforce and fewer operating firms underscoring a year of contraction. Analysts note that stabilising exports and market innovation will be critical for recovery in 2026.
Source: www.moebelkultur.de
