Europeans turn to China-made heating appliances

Many people in Europe are facing a difficult winter as soaring energy prices and surging inflation eat into household incomes.

Combating the winter chill has led to high demand for China-made electrical appliances, including blankets, heaters and heat pumps, with one report suggesting inquiries from European buyers have increased fivefold for some items.

UTK Technology, a producer and seller of electric blankets on e-commerce website Alibaba, told Bloomberg that demand reached record levels in September.

Crane Jin, general manager of UTK Technology, which is based in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, said he expected the company to ship more than 10,000 blankets to Europe in October.

Samir Dani, a professor of operations and supply chain management at Keele Business School in the United Kingdom, said one of the reasons for the rise in the popularity of electric blankets is the high energy prices in the UK and across Europe. "Consumers are finding it cheaper to use an electric blanket. The energy cost of using one is almost a third of the cost of using an electric heater," he said.

Dani said that another reason for the high number of sales might be the availability of electric blankets through Amazon, Alibaba and other UK online retailers that have supply chains in China.

Karl McKeever, a retail expert and the founder of consultancy company Futurview, said the electric blanket boom in the UK is likely part of households trying to save money this winter. "An electric blanket offers a short-term, energy-efficient boost of heat for bedding and provides a sense of instant comfort and coziness," McKeever said.

Some manufacturers also offer electric throws that can be used during the day, such as to cover a person sitting in a chair watching television, he said.

Dani said the demand for electric blankets is also helping boost the Chinese semiconductor chip market.

"(Electric blanket) production in China would have been ramped up very, very quickly based on the increased demand, and it is something they have been able to do. It is also the availability of low-end semiconductor chips for midrange electric blankets, which are easily available in China, and they have a large manufacturing capacity," he said.

According to UK money-saving expert Martin Lewis, it costs ￡14 ($17) to buy a cheap electric blanket, which, in turn, costs 3 pence an hour to run, or ￡1 and 37 pence a week if used for seven hours a day.

Dani added: "Made in China blankets that are under a Chinese brand are retailing for around ￡35 on online sites, whereas for some of the UK brands, those electric blankets will cost around ￡70 to ￡80. It's a big difference in retail price. But at the moment with the cold creeping in and the demand for using less energy, the electric blankets are just flying off the shelves."

Sales of electric blankets at UK department store John Lewis increased by 67 percent from a year earlier, and online searches have jumped 470 percent, according to media reports.

The blankets are also bestsellers on Amazon UK's home and kitchen section.

Data released by the China Household Electrical Appliances Association showed that electric blanket exports to Europe totaled $33.4 million from January to July, a year-on-year increase of 97 percent.

Exports of China-made heating devices to Europe increased 14.35 percent year-on-year to $497.53 billion from January to August this year, according to the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products.

The data also showed that in August alone, 22.54 billion heating device units were exported to the European market, valued at around $70 billion.

McKeever said electric blankets could be an ideal Christmas gift. "The relatively low price of an electric blanket, both to purchase and use, along with their 'cozy appeal', makes them a particularly attractive gift item. Just like new slippers, they promise instant comfort and warmth."

Over the years, the quality and reliability of electric blankets has increased to give consumers a sense of safety about their use, he added. "This makes them a low-investment, high-satisfaction item that's popular with both young and old," he said.