In the first five months of the year, sales of home appliances in China's domestic market increased by 71% in volume and 103% in value. Even if the market leaders are naturally domestic (starting with the giant Haier) there is a growing space for Italian companies, whose presence is conspicuous (De Longhi, Merloni, Candy…). The boom comes from afar. Historical experience suggests that we are in the presence of a "threshold effect". When a family emerges from poverty and reaches a certain level of income, it enters an area where the "desire for well-being" is combined with financial possibilities, and therefore the demand for goods, such as household appliances, associated with models of more sophisticated consumption. Every year tens of millions of Chinese enter the middle class and the demand for this type of goods increases at, as we have seen, dizzying rates. Furthermore, demand is shifting towards segments with higher added value and the attraction of the brand counts more: these factors should favor quality Italian production.
http://english.mofcom.gov.cn/aarticle/newsrelease/significantnews/201106/20110607586983.html
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2011-06/04/content_12642195.htm
