Preserve judgement

06 Nov, 13

Philippa Turrell looks at consumer purchasing trends to find out why American side-by-side and multiple door fridge freezers are selling fast

There are some times in life when you could argue bigger is most definitely better – bank accounts, TVs, and now you can add fridge freezers to that list. Although 50:50 and 70:30 split models remain the most popular models, more capacious side-by-side models and multiple door fridge freezers are selling at a much faster rate. The demand for sizeable fridges has been shaped by how consumer shop, allowing time-poor consumers the option to shop less frequently, and therefore to buy more in one transaction. Add to this the trend for entertaining friends at home, rather than going out, and it’s easy to see why a fridge freezer needs to be spacious, and flexible too.

 

Keeping up

Consumers are also savvier about the food they eat, understanding provenance and the importance of storage conditions to keep food fresher for longer. Certainly the importance of optimum storage conditions was a focus of cooling appliance launches at IFA, with technology that maintains constant temperature and drawers featuring climate controls for specific foods types. Energy efficiency is also key, with holiday mode, fast chill and fast freeze functions, all of which help optimise energy use.

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Growing smarter

And helping to optimise energy use will be the advent of smart technology. In fact at IFA Siemens suggested its appliances with connectivity will be reaching the market in 2014. In fact industry experts believe smart fridge freezers may eventually become the norm. And where many experts believe smart refrigeration will really add value for consumers is by adopting Smart Grid technology for cheaper energy bills. With some energy companies already embracing smart electrical meters, to show consumers how to keep better control of electricity bills, it’s likely the benefits of technology will not only be easily understood but in demand.

Certainly a fridge freezer is no longer just a box for keeping food cold, and designers and retailers need to make sure they are up-to-speed with these highly specified appliances. 

The full article appears in the November 2013 issue of Kitchens & Bathrooms News.