Refrigeration Appliances in Hungary

PROSPECTS

Otthon Melege Programme continues to deliver excellent results

After its huge success over the review period, the Otthon Melege (“The Warmth of Home”) government subsidy programme continued to boost sales of refrigeration appliances in 2019. This is a Hungarian state support programme that aims to upgrade the older stock of major consumer appliances and improve energy efficiency in Hungarian households.

Energy efficiency a key factor in the purchasing decision

Since the penetration rate for refrigeration appliances is quite high in Hungary, most sales were generated either by replacement purchases or by the boom in real estate towards the end of the review period. Old appliances are usually replaced due to operational issues, which often happen during the summer season.

“Bigger the better” where space is not a concern

Although the built-in format continued to increase its presence within all types of refrigeration appliances, the category was still dominated by freestanding appliances in 2019, mainly due to the limited sizes and formats suitable for built-in solutions. Ideally, if the space is not limited, Hungarian consumers prefer “the bigger the better” in terms of volume capacity; however, in blocks of flats and in newly designed apartments there is often less space for huge appliances, which has raised interest in small and multifunctional refrigeration appliances.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Multinationals retain dominance with trusted product lines

Whirlpool Hungaria continued to lead refrigeration appliances in 2019, with it offering affordable products that are perceived to be trustworthy. The company is followed by Samsung Electronics Magyar Zrt, Electrolux Lehel Hutogepgyar and BSH Kft, respectively.

Samsung on the rise thanks to excellent features and good value for money

Samsung electronics saw one of the most significant increases in retail volume share in 2019, despite withdrawing its freestanding fridges from the market. The company has instead achieved excellent results since entering built-in refrigeration appliances, while it has retained a strong position in freestanding fridge freezers.

Appearance comes into the spotlight as consumers focus more on design

After many innovations regarding the operation, energy efficiency, noise level, ventilation and anti-frost features, refrigeration appliances saw a total design makeover at the end of the review period with a greater focus on appearance. Apart from the traditional white, stainless steel designs have also become increasingly popular in Hungary; however, Liebherr Mystyle and Bosch VarioStyle models have now made it possible to change the front colour of your refrigeration appliances as often as you like.

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