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With annual growth the fastest in Europe at 19 per cent, the UK is now the continent’s second-largest smart home market. A survey from GfK shows that the value of this market was £900 million in 2017, excluding £1.3 billion spent on smart TVs.
The survey revealed there were 336 brands offering 3,777 smart home products in the UK over a 12-month period to April 2018, an increase of 30 per cent year-on-year.
85 per cent of the UK’s online population now own at least one smart product, while the proportion owning four or more has grown from 35 per cent last year to 44 per cent this year.
The most commonly owned devices are smart routers, smart TVs, smart meters, fitness and activity trackers, and smart set-top boxes. The fastest growing product in the last year was interactive speakers, where ownership doubled between 2017 and 2018.
GfK’s research indicates that routers and smart TVs tend to be gateway products, while smart lighting and thermostats are chosen by those who already own a portfolio of other smart home products.
Trevor Godman, divisional director at GfK commented, “Take-up of smart home products in the UK continues to rise, with interactive speakers the hot product of the last year. In contrast however, the level of consumer excitement about smart home as a category has lost momentum somewhat – particularly for smart appliances and smart health products. As smart home pivots to the mass market, it is essential that manufacturers look at what is holding consumers back and communicate compelling benefits that capture consumers’ imaginations.”
High levels of smart TV ownership, and the rapid take up of smart speakers, illustrate GfK’s findings that Britons are most attracted to smart products in the areas of entertainment and connectivity. 20 per cent of the UK online population cited this area as having the most appealing products or solutions, followed by security and control (14 per cent), and smart energy and lighting (13 per cent). Smart health appeals to 10 per cent and smart appliances to 8 per cent. Smart entertainment is the only category to see an increase in its appeal since 2017.
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