Biznes Fakty
Home Appliance Sales in the European Union: Poland Loses Number One Position to China
Poland is no longer the largest provider of major household appliances within the European Union; this title now belongs to China. Industry leaders caution that we face the risk of diminishing our competitiveness and losing access to numerous markets, as highlighted in the lead text of Friday’s issue of „Rzeczpospolita”.
The publication indicates that China’s sales to EU markets have surged by an impressive 32 percent, whereas Poland’s sales saw a mere 3 percent increase during the same timeframe, totaling EUR 3.7 billion.
The writer emphasizes that the magnitude of China’s market expansion may come as a surprise, particularly in light of the post-pandemic surge in supply costs from Asia and challenges related to component availability.
China and Türkiye pose significant threats
As reported by „Rz”, the household appliances sector identifies Turkey as a primary threat to the standing of Polish manufacturers, with Turkey consistently boosting its exports to Europe.
– The increase in imports from China is attributed to the rising production costs in Europe, largely driven by the Green Deal, which has led to a drop in profitability. Consequently, manufacturers are shutting down their plants – stated Marcin Majchrzak, CEO of Haier in the region, the world’s largest household appliance producer, in an interview with the newspaper.
European firms observe that the rise in imports from China also stems from government incentive programs aimed at businesses.
– This involves the export support policies implemented by the Chinese government, which help lower production and shipping expenses. The impact is visible not only in the household appliance sector but also in e-commerce and the automotive industry – assessed one producer quoted by „Rz”.
Shutterstock Refrigerator FactoryProduction remains significantly below maximum capacity
The daily notes that the consequence is a regression in hardware production levels in Poland, which have fallen back several years in terms of quantity. Although there was a 2% rise in 2024, reaching 23.4 million units, this figure is still considerably below the maximum capacity.
According to reports, production levels surpassed 30 million units in 2021. By 2023, the household appliances sector in Poland had seen a decline of approximately 1,000 jobs, with 2024 projected to be even worse.
– Without a coordinated approach at both the government and EU levels, we risk losing our competitive edge. This applies not only to our nation but to the continent as a whole – remarked Zygmunt Łopalewski, Communication Director at Beko Europe.
