Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) has experienced rapid growth in recent years, becoming a go-to solution for homeowners, developers, and commercial clients alike. Its blend of durability, water resistance, and attractive finishes has propelled it to the forefront of the flooring industry. However, even established names like Polyflor—long considered a reliable and premium LVT brand—are now facing challenges. Rising competition from lower-cost alternatives is beginning to erode market share and shift customer perceptions.
This article explores the reasons behind the shift, with a focus on key Polyflor product ranges: Polyflor LVT, Polyflor Camaro, Camaro Rigid Core, and Polyflor Colonia.
Polyflor LVT: A Trusted Name Facing New Pressures
Polyflor has built its reputation on high-quality, UK-manufactured flooring solutions. Its LVT ranges offer robust performance, a variety of styles, and suitability for both residential and commercial use. The brand’s longstanding relationships with contractors and specifiers are a testament to its reliability and service standards.
However, the LVT landscape is no longer what it was a decade ago. Today, retailers and consumers alike are being tempted by imported LVT ranges—many of which offer similar aesthetic appeal at significantly lower price points. While Polyflor maintains strong product warranties, customer support, and UK availability, these benefits are often overlooked by cost-conscious buyers swayed by upfront savings.
Online platforms and marketplaces have made it easier for lesser-known brands to enter the LVT space with aggressive pricing and rapid distribution. This has created a price-driven market in which even loyal customers are beginning to explore alternatives.
Polyflor Camaro: Struggling to Compete on Price
The Polyflor Camaro range is one of the company’s flagship residential LVT collections. With an emphasis on stylish wood and stone-effect designs, Camaro has long appealed to homeowners and interior designers seeking quality and realism at a mid-range price point.
But this is precisely the segment most vulnerable to price erosion. Budget brands from Asia and Eastern Europe now offer remarkably similar visuals with competitive warranties and wear layers. While Camaro’s 0.3mm wear layer and PUR coating are sufficient for most residential applications, these specifications are now matched and in some cases exceeded by cheaper imports.
Retailers who once relied heavily on the Camaro line are increasingly stocking alternatives with higher margins and faster turnover. In a sector where pricing often trumps legacy branding, Camaro’s position as a premium mid-market solution is being threatened.
Additionally, the rise of direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands and private-label LVT options has put more pressure on Camaro to justify its pricing, particularly among younger buyers who are less brand loyal and more influenced by aesthetics and affordability.
Polyflor Camaro Rigid Core: Entering a Crowded Market
In response to evolving consumer needs and the surge in DIY flooring, Polyflor launched the Camaro Rigid Core range—a click-system LVT product designed for fast installation and enhanced acoustic comfort. With built-in underlay and waterproof performance, it competes directly with rigid core options from Karndean, Moduleo, and an expanding list of newer entrants.
While the Camaro Rigid Core product offers reliable performance and attractive designs, it enters a market segment already saturated with lower-cost options. Many competing brands promote enhanced features like integrated underlays, sound reduction up to 21dB, and hybrid cores—all at prices below those of established names like Polyflor.
The challenge here is not quality—Camaro Rigid Core delivers consistent results—but perceived value. Homeowners shopping for click LVT are often influenced by deals, discounts, and flashy promotions—areas where smaller, nimble brands often outperform larger legacy manufacturers.
With rigid core LVT being a favourite for landlords, renovators, and DIYers, the emphasis has shifted toward speed and affordability—traits that don’t always align with the brand’s pricing structure. This shift has put pressure on Camaro Rigid Core to either differentiate further or adapt to market pricing trends.
Polyflor Colonia: Value-Focused, But Not Immune
Polyflor Colonia has traditionally served the entry-level residential segment, offering attractive and functional flooring for budget-conscious buyers. With a 0.2mm wear layer, it’s intended for lighter domestic use and comes in a variety of neutral and naturalistic designs.
Despite its competitive pricing, Colonia is still being outpaced by ultra-budget LVT brands that cut corners on quality but deliver on looks and price. These ranges are particularly prevalent in online-only stores and big-box retailers that prioritise volume over longevity.
While Colonia holds appeal for certain segments—such as social housing projects and landlords who still value the Polyflor name—its margin of difference is shrinking. In today’s market, the line between entry-level “affordable luxury” and “cheap but good-looking” is increasingly blurred.
The danger for Colonia is not just lost sales, but lost relevance. If the product is no longer seen as significantly better than budget imports, it risks being squeezed from both ends of the market: too expensive for the lowest tier, and not differentiated enough for mid-tier buyers.
Why Is Polyflor Losing Market Share?
Several interrelated factors are contributing to Polyflor’s declining grip on the LVT market:
1. Commoditisation of LVT
As manufacturing technology improves globally, even budget brands can now produce LVT that looks convincingly high-end. This has turned LVT into a commodity, making it harder for established brands to justify higher prices based purely on design or heritage.
2. Increased Import Penetration
Brands from China, Turkey, and Eastern Europe are flooding the UK and EU markets with low-cost, high-volume LVT. Many of these manufacturers bypass traditional distribution channels, selling directly to retailers and even end-users.
3. Retailer Margin Pressure
Retailers are increasingly prioritising products with better margins. If a budget LVT offers the same appearance, faster turnover, and higher profit, they are more likely to push that product—especially in a competitive retail landscape.
4. Online Disruption
E-commerce platforms have changed the way flooring is marketed and sold. Private-label and white-label LVT brands now have access to audiences that once defaulted to names like Polyflor. The trust gap that once existed between branded and unbranded products is narrowing.
5. Lack of Differentiation
Polyflor’s current ranges while solid and reliable are not significantly differentiated in terms of technology, installation ease, or design innovation. As a result, they risk becoming lost in a sea of visually similar and cheaper alternatives.
What Can Polyflor Do to Regain Its Edge?
While the current climate is challenging, Polyflor is not without options. As a well-established brand with proven manufacturing quality and UK distribution strength, it has the foundations to recover lost ground.
Potential strategies include:
- Investing in design innovation to create visually distinctive ranges not easily replicated by low-cost competitors.
- Enhancing product features, such as improved sound insulation, antibacterial coatings, or advanced wear layers.
- Focusing on sustainability, which is becoming a key differentiator for conscious consumers and specifiers.
- Streamlining pricing to be more competitive against mid-market imports, without sacrificing brand quality.
- Expanding direct-to-consumer efforts, leveraging online platforms to retain control over brand messaging and margins.
Conclusion
Polyflor remains a respected name in the flooring industry, particularly in the UK, but it is clear that the market dynamics for LVT have shifted. Competitors offering lower-cost alternatives with similar features are gaining traction fast—especially in online and retail channels where price is king.
For Polyflor, the key to maintaining and growing its market share lies in strategic innovation, pricing agility, and reconnecting with a new generation of consumers and trade professionals who value both performance and value.
The battle for the LVT market is no longer just about quality—it’s about relevance, and the ability to adapt in a rapidly evolving landscape.