Dishwashers Best domestic help
Will the latest advances in dishwasher technology and ergonomics convince British consumers who have never owned a dishwasher of its merits? Anna Ryland investigates.
T
here is a general opinion that the dishwasher has become an integral part of the modern household. “Dishwashers are no longer considered a luxury. Along with the oven, fridge and washing machine, a dishwasher is now an integral part of everyday family life, with various members of the family sharing the loading and unloading. In fact, men actually believe they load better!” says Mike Jarrett, sales director of Neff. Yet, this statement does not apply to all customers. “The dishwasher is still regarded as a luxury item among those who have never owned one, but once purchased, becomes a necessity and there is no going back. So, while the increase in the number entering into the market has slowed, the replacement market now makes up a larger percentage of sales than before,” argues Simon Freear, country manger for Amica in the UK.
Market penetration of dishwashers in the UK has been steadily growing,
reaching 37% in 2010 (according to Mintel). Nielsen data for mid-2011 suggests penetration of 40.7%. This is still way behind other European countries, such as Germany (70%) or France (over 50%). The recessionary conditions of 2011 “have been something of a mixed bag for the dishwashers market. Consumers have targeted promotional periods for greater savings, with the January and summer sales period stimulating significant growth. Outside of these months the market has struggled to achieve growth on last year. For the year to November value has increased by just 1% and the market is now worth £231m,” comments GfK analyst Richard Allen.
However market statistics clearly indicate the current customer priorities. “The principal area of growth lies with energy efficient products, as consumers look to reduce their energy usage in a bid to cut back on their ever-rising monthly
32 The Independent Electrical Retailer February 2012
bills. Dishwashers with a water consumption of 12 litres or less have increased by 48% (Jan-Nov 2011), and now account for 42% of the market value. As with other domestic appliances, energy efficiency is becoming increasingly important to consumers and appears to be a key feature as we head into 2012,” adds Richard Allen. A significant growth has also been
recorded in the slimline category. “Slimline dishwashers appeal to consumers for whom space is at a premium, such as in modern apartments. Sales of slimline dishwashers are up 4.3% year on year,” confirms Libby Morley, Indesit advertising and communications manager. Also Dean McKelvie, Whirlpool’s product marketing manager, Freestanding, confirms that slimline dishwashers are growing in popularity (+6.1% between September 10 and August 11),accounting for 23.3% of market share (by volume).
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