The toaster market

The wealth level and, naturally, eating habits, play a fundamental role in the sale trend of this appliance.

As it happens for most household appliances, also toaster sales are only seldom surveyed by sector statistics, generally drawn up by trade associations. Among those joining the European federation Ceced, only the French Gifam and the Swiss Fea spread data concerning the toaster while the Spanish governmental statistic institute Ine introduces, with a specific item, the appliance in the surveys of the percentage of household appliances equipping Iberian dwellings. For these reasons, the data contained in the table, concerning the other 9 mentioned nations, are fruit of estimates published on the sector press, in single Countries’ economic or topical magazines. Just to make an example: the data concerning USA are based on a recent article of the daily paper New York Times.

Sales and diffusion rate

Toaster sales are influenced by two factors: single Countries’ richness degree on one hand, eating habits on the other hand. It is worth reminding that bread is not the main food all over the world; this mainly happens in Far East, where rice prevails in the local use. Besides, not all cultures accept sliced bread, necessary preliminary condition for the toaster.

Appliance sales are strong especially in USA, nation that constitutes its homeland, with one toaster sold every 26 inhabitants. Canada, not reported in the table, reaches almost the same level.

The rich Countries of Western Europe show quite similar situations. We range from one sale every 36 inhabitants in France and in Denmark to one every 41 in Italy, with presence rates that go from 90% of The Netherlands to 73% of France. While, however, in several developed nations sales tend to grow, in those scoring the highest diffusion degree, that is to say in The Netherlands, in Germany and in Switzerland, nowadays the market seems saturated and, once reached the “top”, sales tend to decrease.

Particular case is Spain, where until 2013 the entire household appliance sector was affected by a strong crisis, which has depressed the consumptions of all appliances. A recovery has started only since 2014 and will give its fruits in the future.

Fully different is the situation in Third World nations, where the toaster is a luxury appliance, used by richest ones, but also by most Westernized classes.

In Japan and in China they reach one sale respectively every 75 and every 90 inhabitants, while in Brazil they attain one every 130. In India, besides the general poverty, the scarce knowledge of the appliance and certain mistrust have a role.

Therefore, they register a sale every 562 inhabitants. Even in absence of specific data, we can think that a similar value is valid for most Countries still in the early development phases.

Producers and brands

Brands on the market are numerous. Besides renowned groups, like the Italian Smeg and Tefal or the German Bosch and Rowenta, stand out many less renowned, but almost always as efficient, companies. The production of European brands is prevailingly manufactured upon job order in low wage cost Countries and especially in China or in other nations of the Asia – Pacific area.

Prospects

Controversies about various household appliances are expressed by the European Union, including the toaster. In the frame of a general reduction of energy consumptions, we are waiting for new regulations on the matter, which are likely to hinder the use of this appliance. At present, however, it is not possible to foresee the impact that these regulations will probably exert on the market.

Apart from that, we can guess that the trends currently in course will continue, at least in the next future. In rich Countries, sales are expected to stabilize: in Third World nations, there are still great chances for future growths.

Sales and diffusion of the toaster in various world nations in 2014

Sources: National Statistical Bodies, Trade Associations, Sector Press, Business data