New research from retail industry analysts Mintel has revealed that UK sales of small kitchen appliances reached £897 million in 2015.
According to the research company, sales of appliances such as kettles, blenders and juicers soared by 41 per cent in the past 5 years in the UK - up from £635 million in 2011.
Proving that it's not just the power of the appliance that matters, 30 per cent of those who've bought kitchen appliances in the year to September 2015 say they looked for a modern look when purchasing, and 29 per cent said a design that coordinates with other appliances in their kitchen was important.
“High levels of prime time television exposure for cookery, including The Great British Bake Off, MasterChef and The Hairy Bikers, is creating interest in top of the range food preparation equipment and healthy eating trends have helped drive demand for blenders, liquidisers and juicers," said Jane Westgarth, senior retail analyst at Mintel.
Demand for stylish, added-value appliances is growing, and there is plenty of evidence of growth at the premium end of the market.
Within the small kitchen appliance market, food preparation appliances such as liquidisers, juicers and blenders are proving to be star performers. Sales of these appliances have jumped 145 per cent over the past 5 years to reach an estimated £225 million in 2015.
Meanwhile the popularity of healthy eating and a love of smoothies is driving sales of juicers, estimated to reach a sweet £22 million.
More than one in 10 (13 per cent) UK consumers bought a juicer or smoothie maker in 2015. Additionally, sales of liquidisers are estimated to have reached £70 million last year.
Mintel research also reveals that health grills have made something of a comeback, increasing 30 per cent up from £43 million in 2011 to an estimated £56 million in 2015. Sandwich makers and grilling machines overall have seen a jump in demand.
The growing coffee culture is driving the sales of the hot beverages market as sales of these appliances grew 89 per cent - from £78 million in 2011 to an estimated £148 million in 2015. Some 13 per cent of British shoppers bought a coffee capsule or pod drink maker in 2015. Meanwhile, 11 per cent bought a filter coffee machine in 2015.
“Consumers are willing to pay premium prices for small kitchen appliances that help them create the same kind of indulgent food and drinks they have become accustomed to in restaurants and coffee shops. This is driving demand for food preparation equipment, including specialist items like juicers and food mixers. Furthermore, falling prices have made coffee machines accessible to a wider audience, while special deals during key selling seasons have boosted volumes of coffee makers at discounted prices.”
Finally, the kettle remains the most popular kitchen appliance, more than two in five (42 per cent) bought a kettle in 2015. Sales of the kitchen staple amount to an estimated £198 million. Meanwhile, toasters were the second most widely purchased appliance, some 30 per cent of shoppers having bought one in 2015 at an estimated market value of £91 million.
“The majority of consumers are opting for low-budget toasters and kettles, typically spending between £11-30 on kettles and £10-20 on toasters. This is a very competitive market place, but retailers can encourage consumers to trade up by arranging a 'good, better, best' range of prices, highlighting clear differences between the lower and higher-priced lines.”
Mintel forecasts that this year's UK sales of small kitchen appliances will reach £976 million.
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
