On March 22, the launch ceremony of the “2025 National Home Appliance Consumption Season” was held during AWE2025, where the “2025 China Home Appliance Consumption Trends White Paper” (hereinafter referred to as the White Paper) was released. The White Paper summarizes six major trends in China’s home appliance consumption, among which Trend V is: Focus on consumer segments, meet niche needs.

In recent years, consumer groups have become increasingly segmented. The home appliance industry has keenly captured this shift and started to concentrate on niche markets. Companies are focusing on consumer groups such as seniors, mothers and babies, Gen Z, singles, and pet owners, digging deeper to meet the new lifestyle and consumption needs of this era.

The Silver Generation: New Opportunities in Senior-Friendly Products

China’s rapidly aging population has become an undeniable social trend. In response, the age-friendly sector is emerging as a significant growth driver for the future of the home appliance industry.

On one hand, the aging-friendly transformation of traditional appliances continues to advance, with more refined functions being introduced. More home appliance companies are beginning to consider the habits and physical conditions of the elderly in their product designs—for example, launching various appliances that are easy to operate, safe, and comfortable.

On the other hand, wellness and elder-care products designed specifically for seniors are springing up rapidly. At AWE2025, many companies showcased home-care solutions addressing key needs such as safe bathrooms and convenient living. For now, these solutions are primarily focused on bathroom and bedroom settings.

In addition, more seniors hope to monitor their health and receive care at home. As a result, many brands at AWE2025 displayed products such as massagers, physiotherapy devices, home oxygen concentrators, blood pressure monitors, nebulizers, and pulse oximeters.

Mothers and Babies: Rising Demand for Health-focused and Smart Features

Although the birth rate has declined, the prevailing belief in giving the best for the children continues to drive strong growth potential in the mother-and-baby sector.

For households with infants, appliance purchasing decisions involve not only functional needs but also stricter requirements on product quality and materials. In response, home appliance companies are innovating and launching mother-and-baby-specific products, spanning both major and small appliances.

At the same time, the demands of this group are significantly different from ordinary consumers. Their top priority is health, as the baby’s well-being comes first. They also expect intelligent features that bring convenience to busy parents. For example, at AWE2025, Fotile showcased its Healthy Cooking GPT, which collaborates with maternal and child hospitals to offer dietary applications tailored for pregnant women.

Pet Families: Intelligent Feeding and Health Care as Mainstream

In recent years, pets have taken on an increasingly important emotional role in people’s lives. Pet owners are no longer concerned only with meeting basic needs, but are passionately pursuing high-quality pet care, which has spurred the emergence of a diverse range of pet-related appliances.

Among them, intelligent feeding is the core demand of pet families, including smart feeders and water dispensers. At the same time, pet owners are more concerned about their pets’ health than ever before. Companies have responded with products such as automatic grooming devices, pet drying boxes, and pet massagers.

Other innovative products like automatic litter boxes and interactive pet toys are also making their way into households.

Beyond improving pets’ quality of life, the needs of pet owners themselves are also being addressed, leading to the introduction of products such as pet air purifiers, pet-friendly robot vacuums, and washing machines designed to remove pet hair. At AWE2025, Haier and LG displayed pet air purifiers, while Whirlpool presented washing machines capable of effectively removing pet hair from clothing.

Generation Z: Pursuing Individuality and Distinct Lifestyles

Gen Z, now the largest population segment, has undoubtedly become the driving force of the new consumption era. They are known for their strong individuality, quick adoption of new things, and pursuit of ideal home lifestyles.

They place high value on product design and appearance, unwilling to compromise between style and comfort. As digital natives, they readily embrace smart technology and expect appliances to feature strong connectivity and remote control via mobile apps.

Moreover, Gen Z consumers crave personalized experiences when choosing appliances. Some brands have responded by introducing products with interchangeable shells or panels, allowing users to customize colors and patterns to match their preferences and home décor.

Clearly, for such a unique group, it is not enough to simply develop high-quality, innovative products. The key lies in how to effectively present these products to the target audience, deeply understand their traits, and build strong emotional resonance with them.