HERTFORDSHIRE, UK – Household refrigeration and laundry appliances are on track to ship 326 million units worldwide in 2019, with smart appliances accounting for a growing share of the market, according to Futuresource Consulting.

“Smart tech is making a noise in white goods. It’s one of the key trends to watch,” said Morris Garrard, research analyst at Futuresource Consulting. “Our research shows annual shipments of connected appliances will double between 2018 to 2020, achieving 33 million units in 2020 and 10% shipment penetration.

“The cost of smart appliances is falling, but this additional functionality is generally still restricted to higher end models. However, Chinese manufacturers are rolling out connected features into lower price brackets in their domestic market, where nearly one in five units that sell this year will have smart features. In turn, this is pressurizing Western brands to implement smart technology beyond flagship models. At the same time, Western brands are waging a smart war in the mid-premium tier to gain ground and seize share in markets outside China.”

Beyond smart appliances, conventional white goods are experiencing strong growth in India, MEA and developing Asian markets. This is primarily due to the scale of the addressable market and the relatively low household penetration of appliances. Combine this with rapid urbanization of developing regions, and future demand is heading for a steep growth curve.

“China, North America and Western Europe will continue to retain the lion’s share of worldwide market demand, though it won’t be an easy ride,” said Garrard. “US tariffs will continue to shape markets in the Americas due to increases in import costs of raw materials and finished goods. Meanwhile, downward pressure on housing developments is expected to impact developed European and North American markets alike. In these mature markets, volume will be driven by replacement cycles and upgrades, which include space-saving combined appliances such as fridge freezers and washer dryers, despite the higher average selling prices.”