Rossiyskaya Gazeta: Experts predict growth in household appliance production in Russia in 2025

According to Gradus Retail Index (GRI), today the main efforts are aimed at reducing dependence on imported components. In general, the country produces about 50 percent of household appliances that are presented on the domestic market.

Thus, in 2024, about 15 million units of large and small household appliances were produced in Russia, including about 3 million units of refrigerators and freezers, 2.5 million units of washing machines, 1.5 million kitchen appliances, more than 7 million small household appliances (vacuum cleaners, irons, etc.).

It is also noted that large refrigerator and freezer production facilities are located in Russia and neighboring friendly countries. Among the key centers are the Haier plant in Naberezhnye Chelny, the Belarusian companies Atlant and Gorizont, as well as enterprises in Rostov-on-Don, Lipetsk, Saratov and the Moscow region. These factories provide a wide range of products - from affordable models for the mass consumer to premium solutions. And, for example, TVs are assembled in Kaliningrad.

After the departure of Western brands, domestic manufacturers have taken a strong position in the market, says Vladimir Vasyutkin, Director of Development at Gradus. According to him, brands from Russia and brands with significant Russian participation, such as Weissgauff, Polaris, Scarlett and Kitfort, are currently demonstrating impressive growth. Thus, last year, in the segment of large household appliances, Weissgauff became the leader, taking about 16% of the sales volume in pieces and 15% in rubles. Indesit is in second place, with 8% of the sales volume and 8% in revenue.

In the segment of small household appliances, Polaris is the leader, taking about 14% of the market in terms of sales and 10% in revenue. Scarlett and Marta share second and third places with shares of about 11% and 10% in sales respectively, Kitfort ranks fourth, covering 9% of the market in sales and 6% in revenue. The top five is rounded out by the Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi with a share of 9% in sales, but stands out significantly in revenue, occupying 21% of the market.

Vasyutkin noted that Russian and Belarusian equipment is, on average, inferior to Chinese in technology and design, but it wins in price and adaptation to local conditions (energy efficiency, resistance to voltage drops). Thus, local brands offer more affordable models, which makes them competitive in the context of declining incomes of the population. And the proximity of production facilities (Belarus and Russia) allows to reduce logistics costs, which also reduces the final price.

Meanwhile, he notes, brands with Russian participation are quite actively developing exports today. In 2024, its volume amounted to about 2 million units, and the key destinations were the CIS countries (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan), as well as Iran, Turkey, India and African countries. The greatest demand abroad is for Russian refrigerators, gas and electric stoves, as well as small household appliances such as irons and electric kettles. "Products of Russian brands attract international buyers due to their low cost, energy efficiency and adaptation to local operating conditions," the expert emphasized.

At the same time, he added, in recent years, Russia itself has seen a significant increase in the share of online sales of household appliances. In 2024, it amounted to about 53.1%, for the first time exceeding offline sales, which accounted for 46.9%.

At the same time, the growth of online purchases in this category will continue in 2025, according to Dmitry Klyukvin, head of the IT company Admitad. According to him, this is primarily due to the growing digitalization of Russia and the development of the e-commerce segment. Russians increasingly trust online shopping methods, even when it comes to really large and expensive orders. Marketing tools also partly influence this.

The expert specified that today, for a buyer in the category of electronics and household appliances, the key role is played by the presence of a discount coupon. Thus, in 2024, up to 43% of Russians used them when ordering. More than 15% of buyers used cashback when buying. In addition, content platforms and bloggers have a great influence on the choice of buyers. For example, before buying a refrigerator or washing machine, most Russians first study reviews, comparisons and selections of the best options, watch equipment in videos of influencers. Up to a quarter of all orders for electronics and household appliances in Russia are attracted by content platforms, online media and bloggers. Their influence will definitely increase in 2025, the expert emphasized.

Meanwhile, according to the Admitad affiliate network, online sales of electronics in Russia in 2024 grew by 11%, and the amount that compatriots spent on these purchases increased by 13%. The average bill for the year also increased slightly - from 32 thousand rubles to 36 thousand rubles. The top 10 cities in Russia, whose residents most actively purchased electronics online, included Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnodar, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Samara, Ufa, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan and Chelyabinsk.

In the company Tenda Technolog