The small appliance market - Italy

1.1 Definition and presentation

Household appliances refer to all electrical appliances intended for household use. The home appliance market is divided into two sub-segments: large appliances (washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, etc.) and small appliances. In this study, we will focus on the latter and thus on the following sub-segments:

-Floor care appliances: Vacuum cleaners and steam cleaners.

-Laundry care appliances: ironing.

-Food preparation and cooking appliances: food processors and deep fryers.

-Breakfast appliances: kettle, coffee maker, toaster, and juicer.

-Hygiene, beauty and wellness appliances: shaving, hair removal and styling appliances.

Demand for small household appliances is strong worldwide, which is expected to lead to market growth of 8.45% per year until 2024, thanks to higher living standards especially in more developed countries and the relentless innovations being introduced in the market.

Like the global market, the Italian small household appliance market is also growing strongly in contrast to the trend in the large household appliance market. In particular, the products registering the highest sales volumes are vacuum cleaners, hair care products, products used for dental hygiene, coffee machines, and hair dryers. The only product to register a decrease in sales is the iron. Also contributing to these growth rates has been the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, which, by entailing staying in homes for a large part of the Italian population, has stimulated many households to purchase small appliances with the aim of adapting household equipment to new lifestyles.

In particular, there is a growing trend among the population to prefer high quality household appliances, compared to the past where Italians preferred products of average quality and more affordable prices.