UK Major Domestic Appliances Market Report 2026
The market for major domestic appliances (MDA) is largely driven by necessity, with 60% of consumers buying a new item only when their old one breaks.
Trusted by leading global brands
Collapse All
-
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Outlook for major domestic appliances – UK
- Opportunities
- Longer appliance lifespans present challenges, but also opportunities to capture lifetime loyalty
- Service-focused loyalty scheme
- Turn distress purchases into opportunities for smart upgrades
- Stores still matter in an online-first category
-
THE MARKET
- Snapshot – market size and forecast
- Improved UK housing market provides a much-needed boost to demand for home items, but uncertainty lies ahead
- Graph 1: number of property transactions with a value over £40,000 completed in the UK, 2019-25
- AI becomes more deeply embedded in the MDA sector
- Energy price uncertainty continues
- MDA prices continue to fall
- Graph 2: CPI inflation rate, 2023-26
- Market growth is back, but headwinds persist
- Market size and forecast of major domestic appliances
- Graph 3: market value forecast for major domestic appliances, 2019-30
- Refrigeration anchors market value as premium features drive spend
- Graph 4: estimated market segmentation for major domestic appliances, 2025
- Over half of total spending comes from specialists
- Graph 5: channels to market, 2024 and 2025
-
THE CONSUMER
- Appliance purchasing landscape
- Two thirds have bought appliances in the past three years, with freestanding still dominating
- Refrigeration is the priority purchase, while dishwashers are poised for premiumisation
- Graph 6: appliances bought in the last three years, by time lived in current home, 2026
- Cooking is at the centre of investment
- Graph 7: spending on most recent appliance purchase, 2026
- Bosch is winning the built-in space, while LG emerges as the overall favourite
- Graph 8: appliance brands purchased, by appliance format, 2026
- Graph 9: appliance brands purchased, by appliance category, 2026
- Home moves trigger multi-category purchases, but renters cap spend
- Opportunities to break out from distress buying
- Most appliances are bought out of necessity
- Distress-led replacements push consumers to trade down on value
- Graph 10: triggers to purchase, by spending on appliances, 2026
- Boost the desirability of laundry appliances
- Graph 11: triggers to purchase, by appliance category, 2026
- Most appliances last for up to ten years
- Capitalise on microwaves’ shorter replacement cycle
- Graph 12: lifespan of previous appliance before most recent appliance purchase, by most recent appliance purchase, 2026
- Provide reassurance and joy in the appliance buying journey
- Online is the primary purchase channel…
- …but stores are crucial even for online purchases
- Bricks-and-mortar stores are crucial to drive trade up
- Graph 13: viewing appliances in-person before buying in the last three years, by spending on most recent appliance purchase, 2026
- Opportunities for circular models
- Expand repair access to build loyalty and recurring service income
- Graph 14: “I struggle to find reliable repair services for my appliances”, by age, 2026
- Lower entry with refurbished appliances
- Graph 15: “I am open to buying refurbished appliances”, by housing situation, 2026
-
INNOVATION AND MARKETING
- AO continues to see success with subscription models
- Raising the bar for convenience in online shopping
- AI elevates daily lives…
- …and customer service support
- A greater focus on circular models
- MDAs score more screen time
-
APPENDIX
- Market definition
- The market
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast methodology – fan chart
- Market size and forecast: underlying data
- Market forecast and prediction intervals
- The consumer
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research methodology
- Repertoire analysis methodology
- Other data source methodologies
- Mintel Spark
- Abbreviations
"While longer product lifespans will likely reduce purchasing frequency, it's also a chance to build lasting customer relationships and create recurring value."
Sam Nguyen, Senior Retail Analyst
The market for major domestic appliances (MDA) is largely driven by necessity, with 60% of consumers buying a new item only when their old one breaks. Most appliances have a lifespan of up to ten years, indicating a window for when consumers are likely to re-enter the market.
The biggest threat comes from extended product lifespans reducing the need for new purchases, supported by Right to Repair regulations improving access to spare parts and consumers’ persistent cautious mentality. Meanwhile, broader receptiveness to pre-owned products can make its way into the MDA market over time, directing some sales away from it.
There is a clear opportunity to shift from one-off product sales to ongoing care and support, from integrating remote diagnostic features into appliances to offering dedicated service packages. Beyond the point of sale, physical stores can position themselves as trusted advisory hubs, guiding consumers through repair decisions in a market where reliable service is still difficult to find.
This Report Looks at the Following Areas:
- The current size and five-year forecast of the UK major domestic appliance market
- The major domestic appliance buying landscape, including products, their formats (built-in or freestanding), costs and brands
- How to break out from distress buying, and opportunities for appliances with shorter replacement cycles
- The interplay of online and in-store in major domestic appliance purchasing
- Opportunities for circular models in major domestic appliances, with a focus on repair and refurbishment
Market Definitions
For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:
- fitted and freestanding
- dishwasher
- refrigeration appliances, ie fridges, fridge-freezers and freezers including wine coolers
- cooking appliances, ie ovens, hobs, cookers using gas and/or electricity
- laundry appliances, ie washing machines, tumble dryers and washer-dryers
- microwave ovens
The definition excludes:
- major domestic appliances sold via the trade or as part of a housing transaction
- small kitchen appliances such as kettles, table-top cookers, food processors, coffee machines
- vacuum cleaners and other electrical floor-cleaning equipment
- irons
- cooker hoods and extractor fans
- other fitted electrical appliances for kitchens such as grinders, boiling water taps
£ 2,195 excl. Tax
Secure direct checkout
Instant PDF download
Portal access included
Need help deciding?
Get in touch
Trusted by global industry leaders
Mintel is really good for getting a handle on a particular category quickly. If we are working on a new business pitch in an area we don’t have much experience in, it’s a brilliant way to get up to speed with what’s going on, what’s changing and what the key trends are in any category.
It’s very rare now that anyone will plough through a 200-page report – that’s why the summaries are really useful. We know they are backed up by a lot of detail, so if you need to go into something in more depth you know the information will be all there for you.
Pauline Robson, Managing Partner, Mediacom
One of the biggest challenges we face is the need to get smart on a business or category real quick.
We are talking to clients who live and breathe their category every day and the expectation is that we will be able to get caught up very quickly, and bring the thinking that can help them.
We need to do that often in a matter of days, so it’s not a small ask. Mintel gives us a very articulate view of category conditions and does so at the speed we need it.
Jeff White, Business Development Director, Deutsch
We have such a great working relationship with Mintel on lots of different levels. As an insight partner, they have helped us to develop our business planning in specific categories as well as supporting our creative process but they’ve also been super helpful with facilitating our events in their inspirational offices near St Paul’s.
They’re an innovative company, with a client-focused team that always delivers.
Abby Carvosso, Group Managing Director, Bauer Media Group
There is no question that Mintel is the go-to resource for the best quality market research, but I did not think it was an affordable option for Abacus Marketing to consider. As a small marketing agency, we only work with a few new clients each year.
However, we have a very high-end consultative approach to our work, so we really do need a partner like Mintel to provide the big agency experience we are always aiming to deliver. Our clients come from an incredibly diverse range of industry sectors, so we obviously need access to market research reports from a very wide spectrum of marketplaces – and that is precisely what we got.
Stephen Taylor-Brown, Managing Director, Abacus
We use Mintel Reports, mostly for financial services and ecommerce markets, plus a few retail and technology ones.
As a leading payments provider, we value additional insights into consumer behaviour, opinions and trends that are shaping the many different markets we operate in. Mintel is a very good and very quick way for us to obtain those insights.
We use Mintel to get a view on where a particular market is going, which can support us in product development and help us identify opportunities or indeed risks, it is a very useful barometer of a market’s potential.
Andrew Neeson, Market Intelligence Manager, VocaLink
Mintel helps us when we want to know something quickly – it provides fast answers to our questions. If we need to get a view of what’s going on in a particular market it’s very useful.
When carrying out background research, I find Mintel an excellent starting point.
The fact that it covers so many markets is a big plus for me– instead of having to buy specialist products in each area we are interested in, especially when we only require a brief view on a particular market, we can go to Mintel for help as a one-stop shop. I find Mintel a useful and valuable resource.
Ben Zeidler, Director - Research and Analytics, Tenth Wave
When I’m investigating specific sectors I tend to use Mintel reports for their forecasting, which I’ve always found to be very accurate.
They also offer really broad and deep coverage in their reports. They are very, very detailed. For example, we were able to gain insight across a wide range of business areas from just one report, proving that Mintel is excellent value for money.
So overall, it’s the level of detail and the quality of forecasting that really stand out for me.
Rebecca Green, Market Insight Manager, Wincanton
At Jackman, we believe that powerful strategies are based on human insight. Mintel’s leading-edge reports and insights into consumer attitudes and behaviors are an important input as we develop and execute strategy.
Alana Gavin, VP Research and Insights, Jackman
We use Mintel to inform our thinking and reinforce strategy. If you’re presenting new ideas, it’s essential they are underpinned by robust data and evidence, and clearly rooted in fact.
Mintel gives us all that. It’s a great brand and one that is trusted by clients.
Marie Stafford, European Director, The Innovation Group, VML
We utilize Mintel Reports, Trends and Comperemedia to mine for insights across the numerous business verticals that Epsilon serves, such as CPG, automotive, telecom, healthcare/pharma, retail and financial services.
By integrating Mintel insight into new business opportunities, we have been able to gain the competitive edge necessary to advance partnerships with global brands and key business players.
For our organization, it’s about depth and breadth. Having one without the other doesn’t enable success in our business.
Virginia Harvey, Secondary Research Manager, Epsilon
We’ve found it so useful working more closely with Mintel. They helped support our recent flagship event for our top suppliers by providing a really unique viewpoint on the future of online retailing.
Nick Carroll from their Retail Team was also an excellent panelist, sharing useful and actionable consumer insights. We definitely look forward to working with Mintel again on future projects.
Zac Steele, E-Commerce Trading Development Manager, Waitrose & Partners
Working in a customer-obsessed organization means that data and insights have to be at our fingertips. Mintel’s reports help us support anecdotes with real quantifiable insights. The summary sections (which I really like) helps save time by giving a birds eye view of the content before spending time combing through the pages.
Our business review discussions are strengthened by the relevancy of the reports to help us better understand our customers. In addition, the customer service received from the team (especially in crunch periods) makes the process of understanding customer behavior even better.
Ngozi Ngonadi-Nkwoji, Senior Marketing Manager, Amazon
