[Edaily Reporter JAEMIN SONG ] As Europe’s leading home appliance manufacturers struggle with sluggish demand and rising costs, South Korean and Chinese companies are competing for dominance in the home appliance market. “IFA 2026,” Europe’s largest home appliance and information technology (IT) trade show taking place in Berlin, Germany, is expected to serve as a microcosm of the competition between South Korea and China for the European home appliance market, which is valued at $250 billion (approximately 350 trillion won).

According to industry sources on the 31st, IFA 2026 will be held from September 4 to 8 (local time) at Messe Berlin in Berlin, Germany. Under the theme “The Future Is Now,” more than 1,900 brands from 49 countries are expected to participate, and approximately 220,000 visitors from over 140 countries are projected to attend the exhibition.

IFA is considered one of the world’s top three electronics and IT trade shows, alongside CES in the U.S. and MWC in Spain. With 80% of visitors being decision-makers and 65% international distribution buyers, IFA is recognized as a “trading hub” where manufacturers and distributors coordinate product lineups and sales strategies. According to market research firm Fortune Business Insights, the European home appliance market is estimated to be worth $249.6 billion this year. It is the second-largest in the world, following North America.

European Heavyweights Restructuring… China Targets Gaps with Low Prices and Robots

The shifting dynamics of leadership in Europe’s home appliance industry are expected to be clearly evident at the IFA exhibition. In particular, European domestic brands are scaling back production facilities and workforce due to a confluence of rising energy and labor costs, a sluggish housing market, and price competition with Chinese companies.

Sweden’s Electrolux has decided to close its refrigerator factory in Jászberény, Hungary, by the end of the year. BSH, which owns appliance brands such as Bosch and Siemens, plans to sequentially halt production at two German factories and cut approximately 1,400 jobs. Miele is cutting or relocating up to 2,700 jobs worldwide through its “Miele Performance Program.”

China is quickly filling the void. According to local Chinese media and other sources, the number of Chinese participating companies is expected to rise from about 700 last year to around 900 this year. This represents nearly half of all participating companies. Haier, Hisense, Midea, and TCL are targeting the “volume zone”—mid-to-low-priced home appliances—while Xiaomi, participating in IFA for the first time, will showcase an AI ecosystem that integrates smartphones, home appliances, and mobility. Chinese robotics companies such as Unitree, AjiBot, Deep Robotics, and Engine AI are also making a strong showing.

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Korean companies are penetrating the premium market by emphasizing high-efficiency, AI-powered home appliances and business-to-business (B2B) solutions. SamsungElectronics is setting up a separate exhibition space at “Humboldt Kare” in downtown Berlin, replacing the Messe Berlin CityCube it used until last year. This marks the first time since its debut at IFA in 1991 that the company has established its main exhibition hall in a separate venue. SamsungElectronics will host events for major European retailers, B2B clients, and the media starting on the 2nd—two days before the official opening.

LGELECTRONICS is setting up a large-scale exhibition hall in Hall 18 at Messe Berlin and will prominently feature an “AI Home” where consumers can experience the technology firsthand. Under the theme “Innovation in Harmony with You,” the company will demonstrate how home appliances, TVs, and services are interconnected throughout the living space. It plans to present an “AI Home” that has been further refined from last year’s “AI Home Appliance Orchestra,” capable of understanding customers’ lifestyle patterns and even managing energy usage.

Leif Lindner, CEO of IFA, stated at a press conference last June, “As recently as 8 to 9 years ago, a significant portion of the innovation in the global home appliance market came from Korea, and Samsung and LG Corp. still possess top-tier innovation capabilities.” However, he added, “Competition has intensified significantly as Chinese companies such as Dreamy, TCL, Hisense, and Xiaomi have also introduced innovative products.”