HEMIX Home Electronics Market Index Q1-4/2020

Strong growth in all product segments due to “stay@home” – Home electronics market grew in 2020 by 11.6 per cent

Frankfurt/Nürnberg, 1 March 2021

Home electronics products were in much higher demand than expected in 2020 thanks to the pandemic. Because such a large proportion of our private life, work and education had to stay within our own four walls – and must still – technical devices were in high demand. People were focusing more on their homes and consequently invested in products from the various home electronics segments. Consumer electronics devices that entertain or provide information are an important link with the outside world, bridging the imposed distance and connecting people both privately and professionally over the internet. Domestic appliances make life more convenient and assist with meal preparation and housekeeping. For these reasons, the Home Electronics Market Index for 2020 as a whole showed significant sales growth in both the consumer electronics and domestic appliance product segments. In fact, the home electronics market grew by 11.6 per cent to more than 47.5 billion euros.

Kai Hillebrandt, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at gfu Consumer & Home Electronics GmbH, comments on the market trends: “The regulations put in place to protect our health during the pandemic, with contact restrictions, curfews and lockdowns, have affected everyone for a year now. Working and teaching at home requires adequate technical equipment. Add to this, our human need for contact and comfort, which, combined with all other factors, has led to strong growth in the home electronics market. As a result, our industry has been able to benefit from a significant increase in demand, to such a level that was not expected. Consumers are focusing more strongly on their homes, their technical equipment, and their emotional attachment to their home. Home electronics sales were correspondingly higher in 2020 as a whole, growing by 11.6 per cent to more than 47.5 billion euros.”

Devices with screens, in particular, recorded double-digit increases in both sales and units sold in 2020 compared to the previous year. TVs saw sales of just under 4.2 billion euros (+13.3%). The number of units sold rose by 11.2 per cent to 7.2 million TVs, while the average price increased by 1.9 per cent to 583 euros.

The average price of smartphones also increased by 1.5 per cent to 499 euros. Smartphones generated 11.2 billion euros (+3.3%) in sales with just under 22.5 million units sold (+1.8%).

Demand for IT products for private use was exceptionally strong: The number of PCs sold increased by 10.7 per cent to around 1.1 million units and sales of 916 million euros (+11.1%). Notebook sales increased by 26.8 per cent to just under 3.6 billion euros, and tablet PCs by 26.8 per cent to pass 1.7 billion euros. In fact, 23.9 per cent more notebooks were sold than in the previous year, reaching just under 4.6 million units sold. While the average price of a PC remained more or less stable (+0.4%, 824 euros), the average price of notebooks rose slightly (+2.4%, 732 euros) and by double digits for tablet PCs – an increase of 12.3 per cent to 378 euros. In particular, sales of monitors rose significantly, growing by 64 per cent to reach 948 million euros. The number of units sold also increased substantially by 59.7 per cent to just under 4.2 million units.

The long-term positive trend in the domestic appliance segment continued to accelerate in 2020, with sales of large domestic appliances up by 10.4 per cent for the year as a whole, and sales reaching just under 10 billion euros. The increase in sales of small domestic appliances was even stronger at 21.3 per cent and 7.1 billion euros.

HEMIX Q1-4/2020 – Growth in the consumer electronics segment:

With sales of just under 30.5 billion euros, the consumer electronics segment saw a 9.9 per cent increase in 2020 compared to 2019. In particular, the private IT product segment developed extremely positively, with sales growing by 23.9 per cent to just under 8.5 billion euros. Private telecommunications equipment recorded an increase of 4.5 per cent to reach just under 12.7 billion euros. In addition to smartphones, this was primarily due to renewed growth in core wearables (+20.4% in sales). The consumer electronics segment reached 9.3 billion euros in sales, an increase of 6.3 per cent.

Full-year forecast

“We are aware that 2020 resulted in an unusual market situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This will not be repeated in the current year. However, as there continues to be strong demand for many home electronics products, we are cautiously optimistic about future developments in the overall consumer electronics market, as well as sales of domestic appliances in 2021,” says Kai Hillebrandt.

The market data for the home electronics market is collected jointly by gfu Consumer & Home Electronics GmbH and GfK, uniformly from all market participants, and collated in the form of the official Home Electronics Market Index (HEMIX). HEMIX contains the current market data as sourced by these knowledgeable partners.

HEMIX represents the quarterly German market performance based on both quantity and value. The home electronics market is defined as the sum of sales in Germany to private consumers. 

The complete HEMIX data is available on the gfu website. For further information, please contact:

gfu Consumer & Home Electronics GmbH

Dr. Sara Warneke (Geschäftsführerin)
Tel. +49 69 50  92 93 411
E-Mail: sara.warneke@gfu.de

Roland M. Stehle (Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit)
Tel. +49 911 377 79 00
E-Mail: stehle@gfu.de

Internet: www.gfu.de


GfK Retail and Technology GmbH

Andreas Peplinski
Tel. +49 911 395–4802
E-Mail: Andreas.Peplinski@gfk.com

Internet: www.gfk.com