Mattress and pillow sales growing despite the downturn
22/07/2010
Comfortable mattresses and pillows are clearly still high on people''s agenda globally, with Tempur-Pedic reporting near double income for the three months to June.
The mattress maker saw its net income nearly double to $33.5 million (£21.9 million), with mattress sales increasing by 44 per cent globally during the period.
Tempur mattresses often use memory foam, which is designed to conform to a sleepers'' exact body shape.
This is intended to relieve painful pressure points that cause many people to toss and turn during the night, often disrupting partners'' sleep too.
Sales of pillows also increased in the second quarter, rising by seven per cent internationally and 27 per cent in the US.
Commenting on the results, chief executive officer Mark Sarvary explained that the company is confident that its sales will improve even further in the future, despite the difficult economic environment.
Comfortable mattresses appear to be key for many Americans, with research published in the journal Consumer Reports in 2008 suggesting that 44 per cent of US residents are problem sleepers.
Posted by Michael Ewing
