Romania’s writing instruments sales registered an 8% year-on-year increase in volume in 2014, in hypermarkets and cash & carry stores.

The sales value in these two types of stores increased by 14% to RON 33 million (EUR 7.4 million), shows GfK’s Consumer Choices study for the writing instruments market.

The months before the start of the school year are the most favorable period for manufacturers of writing instruments, according to Ileana Tilvan, head of digital consumer choices GfK Romania.

This particular period (July to September) had a share of 43% of the total sales value, up from 41% in 2013.

No major changes were recorded in 2014 in terms of market structure.

The writing instruments category (classical pens, pencils, mechanical pencils) registered the biggest success, accounting for more than half of the total market. They were followed by coloring tools such as crayons, markers and wax crayons, with a share of 20%.

Writing instruments registered an increase of 19% in value, while coloring and correcting segments’ growth rates stayed below 10%.

The study’s conclusions are based on sales data collected from hypermarkets and cash & carry stores.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com