In the first quarter of 2016, sales of major domestic appliances in Portugal registered an increase of 13% compared to the same period of 2015. Overall, data published by GfK Temax indicate a marginal growth for the technical consumer goods market (+0.8%).
PORTUGAL: TECHNICAL CONSUMER GOODS
SALES VALUE BY CATEGORY
Major domestic appliances
MDA was the best performer sector in the first quarter of 2016, rising by 13 percent over the same period in 2015. The housing market helped to boost sales as households looked to replace large appliances. The climate also helped the sector as sales of tumble dryers increased by 82 percent due to higher than average rainfall. Finally, sales of built-in equipment grew at a faster rate than those for freestanding appliances.
Small domestic appliances
The Portuguese SDA sector remained stable. There was a small increase in Q1 2016 – up by 1.5 percent, compared to Q1 2015. A decline was noted in the slow cooking segment, but some new products in the electric cooking pots segment made up for the loss. Also, heating appliances fell sharply in Q1 due to a very mild winter, while sales of vacuum cleaners remained positive.
Consumer electronics
As in the overall TCG market, the CE sector in Portugal remained at the level of the first quarter 2015. Panel TVs reported some growth. Devices with ultra-high definition (UHD) performed well. In the camcorders segment, action cams registered healthy sales.
Photography
In Q1 2016, sales of digital cameras registered a fall of nearly 14 percent, compared to the same period in 2015. However, sales of interchangeable lenses increased – up by 5.4 percent, compared to Q1 2015.
Information technology
In the first quarter 2016, the IT sector produced almost identical results to those for the same period in 2015. Mediatablets continued to decline (down by 41 percent), while desktop computers registered robust growth (up by 39.9 percent).
Telecommunications
For the first time, sales of smartphones registered a decline – down by 6.5 percent, compared to the first quarter 2015. Sales of feature phones continued to fall while mobile enhancements, headsets, and (in particular) core wearables all reported dynamic growth.
Office equipment and consumables
In Q1 2016, the OE market remained stable with marginal growth. Printing devices was the fastest growing segment – up by 6.8 percent, compared to Q1 2015. Inkjet cartridges also did well.
