The steady development of the Bicycle Kingdom in the face of adversity - Dutch Bicycle Market Report 2023
As a veteran bicycle market in Europe, the Netherlands is far ahead in terms of market size and maturity in Europe and even the world. The Netherlands has an average of about 1.3 bicycles per person, so it has the reputation of the kingdom of bicycles. Its unique geographical and cultural environment makes bicycles fully integrated into the daily life of local people, and this high popularity is also reflected in the industry. Dutch bicycle sales are growing year by year, especially the sales growth of electric bicycles. Dutch bicycle sales in 2023 still increased by 16.5% compared to 2019.
The Dutch bicycle market is growing steadily
According to the data of the Dutch Cycling Association, the sales volume of the Dutch bicycle market in 2023 reached 804,000 units and sales reached 1.4 billion euros, affected by the slowdown in bicycle demand and high inventory, the bicycle market in 2023 declined slightly compared with 2022, and the sales volume of bicycles in 2022 was 833,000. Bicycle market sales were 1.52 billion euros, down 6% and 3.7% respectively, but sales were still 16.5% higher than in 2019, and the development of the Dutch bicycle market has returned to stability after a surge in demand.
"The market has had to slow down a bit after the sales boom during the COVID-19 pandemic, but overall demand remains at the same level," said Huub Lamers, chairman of the RAI Association's bicycle division.
The sales decline in the Dutch bicycle market is larger than the sales volume, which means that the sales price of Dutch bicycles is rising, especially electric bicycles. In 2023, the average sales price of Dutch bicycles is 1815, and the sales price of electric bicycles is 2574, an increase of 3.4%. At the same time, the proportion of electric bicycles in the Dutch bicycle market sales has reached more than half, followed by urban bicycles, children's bicycles, electric bicycles have become an important driving force for the development of the Dutch bicycle market.
Netherlands Electric Bicycle Sales & Sales
In 2023, the sales of electric bicycles in the Netherlands reached 453,000, and the sales of electric bicycles reached 1.17 billion euros. In 2023, the sales volume of electric bicycles in the Dutch bicycle market has reached 56%, and the penetration rate is as high as more than half, while the sales volume of electric bicycles accounts for 80% of the bicycle market. Although sales and sales have declined, the proportion of electric bicycles in the Dutch bicycle market is rising year by year, and the Netherlands, known as the kingdom of bicycles, has a broad market for electric bicycles.
According to statistics, there are currently 4.9 million e-bikes in the Netherlands, and the market value of these e-bikes is 9.5 billion euros. In terms of the category of electric bicycles, electric city bicycles accounted for the largest share, reaching 84%, followed by hybrid electric bicycles and sports and competition electric bicycles.
Consumption preference
The Dutch bicycle users are mainly middle-aged and elderly people between the ages of 46-65, and this group of people is also the main consumer of electric bicycles. The average distance travelled by e-bikes in the Netherlands is 5km, a third longer than that travelled by mechanical bikes (3.5km), and they are popular among middle-aged and elderly people due to their power-assist characteristics, accounting for more than 40% of all mileage travelled by adults aged 65 and over. Accounting for nearly 25% of the mileage of adults aged 50 to 65, older people use e-bikes for leisure sports or shopping, while commuting is the main use of e-bikes for young people, but in recent years, the proportion of work and shopping related travel purposes has increased among younger users.
Lammers said, "The interest in bikes, especially comfortable electric bikes, is as strong as ever and remains so. There is still a lot of potential for commuting in the coming years."
Source: ANWB
