EDITOR’S COMMENT Will McGill
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hree days, countless exhibition halls, more steps than I care to remember and enough conversations about artificial intelligence to last me until next September. Although, knowing how things are going, I suspect we’ll still be talking about AI long after that. But what a show! IFA 2026 certainly didn’t disappoint. There was plenty to see, and even after three days of running around Berlin, I still felt as though I’d barely scratched the surface. Thankfully, I managed to squeeze quite a lot in, and you’ll find the results of my travels throughout this bumper October issue of ERT. We’ve got a packed review of the show, looking at some of the biggest launches, the latest developments across the major appliance categories and a few products that particularly caught my eye. And there were some crackers! Miele’s new G8 dishwasher was certainly
What happens in Berlin... ends up in ERT T
I do wonder how many people actually have the wall space for some of these things. Or the front door space, for that matter.
Beyond the flashy launches and enormous stands, I think we’re getting to a point where the technology inside our appliances is becoming almost as important as the appliances themselves. And, yes, I’m talking about AI again. I know, I know. I’ve already had a moan about
impressive, while the developments in robot vacuum cleaners continue to amaze me. Then there were the televisions. Just when you think they can’t possibly get any bigger, somebody wheels out another enormous screen.
this on ERTonline, but bear with me. It seemed that practically every manufacturer had something to say about AI this year. And while some of the technology was genuinely impressive, I couldn’t help thinking that we were spending an awful lot of time talking about how clever everything was, rather than what it could actually do. I don’t particularly care whether my washing machine uses artificial intelligence. I care whether it cleans my clothes properly, saves me money and doesn’t shrink my favourite jumper. And I suspect most consumers feel the same. This is where I think independent retailers have
a real advantage. It’s one thing for a manufacturer to stand on a stage and talk about algorithms, sensors and intelligent technology. It’s another thing entirely to
explain to somebody standing in your showroom why they should spend an extra £200 on a particular appliance. That’s where the real skill comes in. And with products becoming increasingly complicated, I’d argue that having somebody who can cut through all the technical jargon and offer a bit of honest advice is more valuable than ever. After all, customers don’t necessarily know what questions they should be asking. Sometimes it’s up to the retailer to show them what they’re missing. Of course, there was much more to IFA than AI. Energy efficiency, sustainability, design and convenience all featured heavily, and there’s plenty for retailers to get excited about over the coming months. I also think there’s something rather reassuring about seeing just how much investment and innovation is going into our industry. For all the challenges facing retail at the moment, manufacturers certainly aren’t sitting still. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this month’s issue and our bumper IFA coverage. Enjoy the issue!
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