Electrical News

This Market Report on small domestic electrical appliances covers the market for small kitchen appliances, non-kitchen appliances (irons and hand-held vacuum cleaners) and personal-care appliances. In 2004, the total UK small domestic electrical appliances market was worth £872.9m at retail selling prices (rsp), a rise of 4% on 2003.

The UK market for small domestic electrical appliances is already one of maturity, with a high proportion of purchases being for replacement purposes. At the same time, the difference between low-end commodity products and the high end of the market is growing, as some consumers seek sophisticated, energy-efficient products, while others make a choice based solely on price. One of the largest challenges facing the industry is the issue of disposal, and it seems inevitable that end prices to the consumer will rise when legislation that makes producers responsible for taking back and recycling electrical and electronic equipment comes into effect in January 2006.

A growing Eastern European market, competition from Asian companies, price erosion and retail consolidation are just some of the other concerns facing Western European appliances manufacturers. The most important current development in the structure of the global manufacturing industry is the acquisition of The Gillette Company by The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G), which is expected to be complete in autumn 2005.

Electrical retailing, meanwhile, is competitive, fast moving and technology driven, and the abolition of resale price maintenance, the involvement of grocery multiples and the advent of Internet retailing have contributed to making market conditions difficult for the independent specialist retailer.

'Core' small domestic electrical appliances, such as kettles, are regarded as necessities in most households, the numbers of which continue to increase. However, in other product sectors, it is generally possible to trade down or defer purchases in any economic downturn. Ever-lowering prices for electrical equipment are obviously of great advantage to the consumer, but ensure that value growth of the market does not match that of rises in volume. How long the independent specialist can survive with such low margins remains to be seen, but the manufacturers have found themselves in a vicious circle. Reduced profits through discounting equate to reduced investment in new product development (NPD), although this is essential to expand the market. In addition, aggressive discounting might damage a brand's reputation, which the independent specialist first helped to build.

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c20474

Laura Wood
Senior Manager
Research and Markets
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