Market development November

Historically, November is the strongest sell-in month for white goods and household appliances during the year – this is also the case in November 2024. But the level does not reach the corresponding month of last year. The larger white goods (MDA) show a decent month in terms of value while the smaller household appliances (SDA) drag down the overall figures for the industry. In terms of volume, the opposite is true.

Is the industry seeing an improvement?

Well, the assessment is that there are still factors that do not directly benefit the development of the industry's sales - but there are still a lot of positive signs that have emerged. The macroeconomic conditions for both consumption (lower interest burden, lower inflation) and housing construction and renovations (lower financing and material costs) are expected to have a positive impact on the industry in the future.

However, the outcome for the industry as a whole so far in 2024 is still a full 9.4 percent lower than in 2023 in terms of value. The volume development looks somewhat more positive, where the overall figure is minus 3.6 percent compared to the same period in 2023.

A positive sign for MDA in November

White goods (MDA) showed a plus (1.1 %) in the month compared to the same month last year. Accumulated over the past 11 months of the year, there is still a decrease of 6.8 % in the value outcome compared to 2023.

Household appliances (SDA) are now well below last year's value (minus 15.5 %) compared to the previous year. It is worth noting that the outcome in 2024 is significantly better for SDA than the year before last in 2022. The comparison is a full 11.5 percent better than this year.

SDA increases volume but value still under pressure

Within MDA, the ”washer and dryer” segment continues to drive the figures. For the other product segments within, the volume development so far in 2024 is negative. For the entire MDA segment combined, the volume development is minus 9 percent.

SDA shows a reverse trend, where many of the product segments included instead increase sell-in volumes – most notably within the ”ironing” category, which includes irons, ironing stations and so-called steamers. But also the ”Kitchen Appliances” categories, where larger kitchen machines/assistants and food processors are increasing significantly.

Another product in the same category that has done particularly well in sales ahead of Christmas is the hot air fryer (AirFryer), where volume figures during the month increased by almost 80 percent compared to the same month in 2023. It should of course have been a good candidate for the Christmas Gift of the Year now that the results are at hand. The story of the "Christmas Gift of the Year" under HUI's auspices began back in 1988 with the naming of the baking machine as the Christmas gift of the year. Since then, APPLiA's industry products have been represented with the wok pan (1990), the juice extractor (2013) and the robot vacuum cleaner (2015). But this year it was a fragrance that was named by HUI - the unisex fragrance. It was the second time since "a fragrance - perfume" was named this prestigious title back in 1993.

Market development