Microwaves in Colombia

PROSPECTS

Sales of microwaves suffer in health and wellness boom

Microwaves registered a decline in retail volume terms in 2019, perceived by consumers as a non-essential household appliance. Even though Colombians in urban areas are leading increasingly hectic lives, low sales of pre-prepared food indicate that consumers continue to prefer more traditional cooking approaches over purchasing expensive and unbalanced ready meals.

Consumers starting to show in interest in multifunctional microwaves

Accessible mid-priced appliances appeal to many consumers who buy microwaves for the first time with core features. Meanwhile, for replacement purchases, buyers tend to place a greater focus on quality, branding and value-added features to attract consumers.

No real demand for connected microwaves

Inverter technology is prevalent among other major appliances. However, few strides have been made with regard to premium microwaves, in terms of offering greater control over the cooking or defrosting of food – still their primary use among Colombian consumers.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Industrias HACEB SA maintains its lead, catering to all income levels

Industrias HACEB continues to lead microwaves in 2019 with its brand HACEB, despite seeing a decline in volume sales. Its place at the top is thanks to an extensive portfolio that covers all price ranges.

Whirlpool continue to impress with innovation

Whirlpool Colombia SA is still one of the top players, with its Whirlpool brand following just behind HACEB. Whirlpool launched the first microwave with an incorporated cooker hood in 2018 - the most significant innovation of that year.

Internet retailing is starting to make headway as companies increase their online presence

Major appliances tend to be purchased through store-based retailers, as consumers want to interact with and learn more about the appliance first-hand before making a purchase. However, given the considerably lower cost of microwaves compared to other major appliances, internet retailing has become a significant channel with consumers often making a purchase after conducting offline research.

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