Home appliance and consumer electronics exhibition IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung),held in Berlin, was a sell-out event, according to the show organiser.

Published with kind permission from Harry Psefoudis

More than 2,050 exhibitors, from 48 countries, showcased their products and services in 26 Halls and across 130,000 square metres.

These included start-ups through to established brands such as AEG, Electrolux, Beko, Grundig, Bosch, Haier, Hisense, LG Electronics, Liebherr, Miele, Samsung and Siemens.

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Connectivity and cost effectiveness for consumers, through greater sustainability, was a key focus of this year’s event, with panels at the IFA Leaders’ Summit, discussing energy efficiency and the circular economy.

Chief sustainability officer at BSH Home Appliances Christine Betz discussed how consumers can be incentivised to contribute to the circular economy, as she explained: “We need to close the loop, because material is scarce and we should stop treating old appliances as waste.”

It also saw appliance manufacturers further optimising energy and water use, encouraging consumers to reduce consumption through product design and complementary digital technologies.

In a keynote speech, president of Hisense Fisher Yu said consumers expect their devices to be intelligent and integrated with each other and believes Artificial Intelligence will transform how humans interact with machines.

He further predicted that screens – from the TV all the way to screens on fridges or washing machines – would become key user interfaces.

Speaking about the show, chairman of industry organisation gfu Philipp Maurer said IFA once again showed its value “as a driver of innovation and economic growth”.

Celebrating its 100^th anniversary next year, IFA returns to the Berlin Messe on September 6-10, 2024.

Read curated highlights of the show in the October issue of Kitchens & Bathrooms News (KBN).