GfK study: turnover in decline for irons and steam generators

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According to a study by GfK, the turnover of steam generators and irons is falling. It shows that the devices available on the ironing market are not autonomous enough to attract buyers.

The study from the organization Growth from Knowledge (Gfk), taken up by the site lsa-conso.com, indicates that the turnover of steam generators and irons decreased by -2.7% and -5% respectively at the end of October 2019; on the contrary, garment steamers show spectacular growth of 38%. How to explain this?

Today, health home appliance manufacturers are simplifying chores with devices that are less tedious to use and increasingly autonomous, like smart mowers.

There is nothing philanthropic in this approach. GfK explains that users are "always ready to spend more on products that make their lives easier, as 46% of respondents worldwide say (GfK Consumer Life 2019)" and specifies that "This is reflected in the strong growth in products that save time and money, like robot vacuum cleaners (+ 18% in turnover)".

Unfortunately, current irons and steam generators do not allow this tiresome chore to be avoided, unlike multi-function robot cookers, which operate alone without user intervention.

Moreover, according to a study conducted in 2018 by the Gifam, the group of brands of health home appliances, seven out of ten French people still consider that ironing is restrictive.

However, when they are offered a less tedious solution to eliminating the wrinkles of their shirts, consumers respond as shown by the 38% increase in the turnover of garment cleaners (manual or vertical); a craze that can be explained by faster and much simpler use (no ironing table to take out, then put away, in particular).

By extrapolating a little, we can therefore see in this study a need for innovations expressed by users through their purchases, but in no case the death knell of ironing or the victory of the folds.

Recommended item: How Calor wants to make you want to iron your laundry

Automation, a real advance?

To completely free households from the chore of ironing, manufacturers are starting to take an interest in its automation. We have already talked about the Panasonic Laundroid wardrobe, which dries and folds things, or Effie an ironing robot without forgetting the LG Styler cabinet which cleans, dries and smooths or that of Samsung called "AirDresser".

However, these products are still too expensive, very bulky, and their yield is far too insufficient to cover the daily needs of a family. There is still a lot of progress to be made in this area in order to hope that the miracle solution will one day land.

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