After two years with a decline in gross sales, the kitchen business depends on behavioral optimism. While low cost fashions are much less in demand, the premium phase runs well-and the development in the direction of high-quality units continues. With one eye, the business additionally seems at housing.
Bernd Weisser tries to quadrature the circle. The spokesman for the Working Group on the Modern Kitchen (AMK) needs to unfold confidence for the not too long ago battered business, however doesn’t appear too euphoric – which in the long run results in the imprecise prediction: “We are positive optimistic.”
Weisser is conscious that such sentences are extra of a basic footballer speech than the administration vocabulary. “The term is stupid”, he – as quickly as it’s pronounced – provides when presenting the yr for the kitchen business on the sting of the interzum furnishings truthful in Cologne. He simply wished to say that he was assured and the scenario assesses a constructive impact, however on the identical time there are nonetheless uncertainties. “Another bad year will not be in 2025.”
And that’s essential for the lengthy -successful business after two years with declining numbers. Current information from the Federal Statistical Office confirmed the gross sales of the German Kitchen Industry in 2024 by a big 6.5 % to only beneath 5.7 billion euros. The home demand was even above common with losses of 8.2 %. The AMK management lists the persevering with consumption retention, plus falling constructing permits and a declining new condo constructing as the explanations.
The proven fact that it was not even worse is because of the higher ten thousand. “The lower income classes were reserved,” says Markus Wagenhäuser, the skilled for electrical tools on the market researcher NIQ, the merger of Nielseniq and GfK. “Anyone who could look at the current situation still bought.” Mostly premium. This reveals the NiQ gross sales statistics. Because in 2024 the gross sales of kitchens price a minimum of 20,000 euros had been elevated.
Sales on this class have elevated by 8.5 %. At the opposite finish of the size, nonetheless, there was the most important minus. In the value vary beneath 5000 euros, 7.1 % fewer kitchens had been bought. And in between there have been solely losses: 0.5 % within the vary of 5000 to 10,000 euros and a pair of.8 % within the value phase between 10,000 and 20,000 euros.
The backside line is that these market actions result in a brand new document for the typical value. NiQ estimates it for 2024 at 11,567 euros. The respective fee worth of a kitchen contains each the cabinets and {the electrical} home equipment, the worktop and the meeting prices. The truth that there have been value will increase in all areas doesn’t discover AMK boss Weisser.
For the latest improve within the common value, this solely performs a subordinate function, says the entrepreneur, who’s a gross sales, advertising and marketing and technique chief of Nobilia from East Westphalia in the principle job, the biggest kitchen furnishings producer in Europe. “We are currently seeing a fundamental shift in value.” And this development will not be solely served by the basic premium suppliers available in the market. “All manufacturers are currently operating a trading up.” Also as a result of the kitchen has developed into a standing image.
At the identical time, {the electrical} home equipment additionally turn out to be extra priceless. Market researchers, for instance, sees the tendency in the direction of sensible units, within the space of the fridges to giant -volume and free -standing techniques, during which kitchenette to fashionable hole followers as an alternative of basic extractor hoods, but additionally in precept additionally to increased vitality effectivity courses. “Consumers invest more specifically in durable, efficient and networked devices,” says Wagenhäuser and speaks of a “clear trend towards quality and functionality”.
But one thing additionally occurs by way of shade. The shade black now dominates for constructed -in stoves. In 2024 the corresponding share of gross sales was virtually 50 %, experiences NiQ. Two years earlier it was solely 26.4 %. In return, silver misplaced as a tool shade: from 62 % in 2022 to 43 %.
The excessive -value development helps the producers {of electrical} home equipment, whose market surroundings was barely improved in 2024 in comparison with the earlier yr – a minimum of away from the kitchen commerce. For instance, NiQ for dishwasher, hobs, ovens, extractor hoods and Co.
Cool and freezing mixtures alone had been within the minus. In mixture with a kitchen buy, nonetheless, the numbers have decreased, the statistics present. “Many households only buy what they have to do,” market researcher Wagenhäuser explains the constructive rash within the alternative funding. And it’s simpler to do with a single system than with a whole kitchen.
The want for the furnishings is definitely nice. A kitchen is normally utilized in Germany for twelve to fifteen years. However, many households are at the moment noticeably increasing this common. “50 to 60 percent of the kitchen market are ripe for renewal,” says AMK board member Weisser. “So there is huge potential for the industry in the topic of modernization.”
His already expressed hope for enchancment doesn’t solely check with it. He additionally believes in a development reversal throughout the brand new constructing. “The political course correction, falling construction prices and announced investment measures by the new federal government hope for a recovery,” says the Nobilia Managing Director. And each new entry triggers one other two to 3 strikes and thus potential kitchen purchases.
Carsten Dierig is an financial editor in Düsseldorf. He experiences on commerce and client items, mechanical engineering and the metal business in addition to medium -sized corporations.
https://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/article256145786/Statussymbol-Der-neue-Hang-der-Deutschen-zur-Luxuskueche.html