Home Laundry Appliances in India

2020 IMPACT

COVID-19 causes overall sales and aspirational buying of home laundry appliances to reduce

Prior to 2020, washing machines were increasingly becoming a regular household product in India, rather than being perceived as a luxury item, as a growing number of consumers with hectic lifestyles sought greater convenience in doing household tasks such as the laundry. The roll-out of electrification to wider parts of the country, including more rural areas, supported the growth of semi-automatic washing machines in the review period.

E-commerce sales rise more sharply due to home seclusion

The distribution of home laundry appliances through e-commerce saw notable expansion in India over the review period as consumers became more accustomed to and trusting of online shopping through platforms such as Flipkart. This was also supported by wider access to the internet in the country.

Lockdown accelerates the shift towards local manufacturing and sourcing

“Local” has an increasingly stronger meaning for home laundry appliance manufacturers. In the review period, manufacturers focused on the particularities of local demand, offering features and specifications relevant to conditions in the Indian market, such as higher load capacities to suit the large size of the average Indian household.

RECOVERY AND OPPORTUNITIES

Manufacturers expected to tailor products to meet the rising demand in smaller cities

Sales of home laundry appliances are expected to recover in the early part of the forecast period, with strong growth rates in 2021 and 2022 which will gradually normalise to the steady growth rates seen in the review period in India prior to the outbreak of COVID-19. Home laundry appliances will remain a necessity, having moved away from being a luxury.

Increasing awareness of private label and other brands set to support growth in home laundry appliances

With the rise in demand and increasing opportunity in India, several private label manufacturers offer affordable home laundry appliance options. Although these players are mainly concentrated in the semi-automatic washing machine segment, the perception of them among customers is good because of their competitive pricing and utility features.

Manufacturers focus on the rising importance of hygiene

Health and hygiene became key factors in sales of consumer appliance products in 2020 as a result of COVID-19. In order to meet the rising demand for products that ensure adequate or improved hygiene, manufacturers have launched home laundry appliances with steam wash features and built-in heaters.