MODEST economic growth in the third and fourth quarters of this year will initiate the emergence of the UK from the recession. However, the growth in 2010 will be slow due to constraints on demand, predicted the CBI in its latest economic forecast.

BSH Customer Service has launched a cash back scheme for customers owning its appliances which are deemed to be ‘beyond economical repair' by one of the company's engineers. It entitles customers to a 50% refund on the engineer call out fee for the repair, if they replace their existing Bosch, Siemens or Neff appliance with a new BSH model.

ACLANDS Radio and Television of Bridgewater in Somerset has become the D&G Retailer of the Year for the second year running, beating some 1,400 retailers who have been assessed by their customers this year. East Anglia's Hughes Electrical was a runner up by a narrow margin. Internet Retailer of the Year 2009 top honours went to Crampton and Moore - for the third year running.

Independent electrical retailers, proud of their professional achievements, should now register their company for one of the Best Independent Retailers Awards 2010. They are a key award category at the annual Independent Business Awards, which are in their 18th year and have the longest heritage of any awards in our industry. They recognise the achievements of the independent electrical retailers and honour their professionalism and service excellence.

The task of getting the UK ready for the digital radio upgrade will be delivered by a new organisation to be called Digital Radio UK. Digital Radio UK will build on the work of the Digital Radio Development Bureau (DRDB) and will incorporate the recently announced Digital Radio Delivery Group to become a new consumer-facing brand that will co-ordinate and manage the expansion of the digital radio platform throughout the UK.

To celebrate the first year anniversary of its Viewsmart initiative Alphason Designs has launched a travel promotion for independents which will run over three months leading up to Christmas. The top prize in the Smart Get Away lucky draw promotion is a sevennight holiday for two in a fivestar hotel in St Lucia, with runner up prizes of a trip to New York and a weekend break in Paris travelling by Eurostar.

Recent research by Warwick Business School has revealed that large multinational companies which constantly encourage customer feedback via multiple sources, such as text and voice messages, feedback forms and various social media platforms, are unable to analyse it in a meaningful form, yet alone use it, due to the time constraints and sheer volume of data. What a waste, I thought, of people's time and effort.

WHIRLPOOL UK has just unveiled its new training and brand experience centre in the group's headquarters in Croydon, Surrey. ‘ATHOME' is a showcase of all four of the company's brands, Amana, KitchenAid, Maytag and Whirlpool, and it aims to present the leading collections of each brand in their natural setting and make them easy to demonstrate and use.

LAUNCHING its latest range of Vaio computers and notebooks, Sony reinforced its intention to clearly differentiate Vaio products for different customer markets and needs.

The CW Series, a stylish multimedia notebook, which comes in black, blue, red, pink and white, is aimed at fashion conscious users who value not only its powerful performance but also such ergonomic features as the perfectly-pitched keyboard.

BELLING has just launched a new collection of kitchen appliances which includes a number of firsts for the manufacturer and the UK market.

The most innovative development is perhaps the BI60i Belling Eco Induction Oven, which uses induction technology in the main oven cavity making 50% energy savings on an A rated oven. The built-in, 6-in-1 oven uses an integrated induction plate inside the oven cavity and is capable of slow cooking, roasting, grilling and steaming food. The BI60i comes with a cast iron pot as well as a steaming and roasting trivet for induction cooking. The Eco Induction Oven will be manufactured in Britain as part of GDHA's commitment to home-grown innovation.

All new Linea-elite ovens from Smeg and the premium level models within the Linea, Classic and Evolution ranges will now have a Maxi Plus 68-litre cavity as standard, making them 35% bigger than their previous versions.

To meet consumers' increasing demand for portable power, Varta has launched the V-Man Power Pack to charge portable high-tech gadgets.

The pocket-sized V-Man can charge mobile phones, SatNavs and MP3 Players. One fully charged VMan can power up to two flat mobile phone batteries or 10 MP3 players. Its adapter kit and USB functionality - which includes the micro USB - allow it to be used with almost every type of mobile phone and MP3 player.

The new Blu-ray home cinema system from LG, the HB954SP, which has full HD 1080p playback, 1000W of power and 5.1 channel output, is packaged in a stylish design with five oval satellite speakers.

The Beko Xpress 1400rpm 8kg washing machine features wash programmes designed to wash a 2kg load in 14 minutes and a full 8kg load in only 28 minutes - making it the world's quickest washing machine at full load, claims the manufacturer.

Whirlpool's new SCW 1112 WH AquaSteam washing machine offers an A+ energy rating and a capacity of 11kg as well as a wide range of useful and easy-to-use features.

The Sound 80, Roberts' latest DAB/FM digital stereo radio, boasts a three way speaker system with bass woofer, giving a superb sound, whilst transporting the user back to the 1980s with its retro styling. The sound is made even clearer thanks to its acoustically tuned cabinet which has a high gloss piano black finish.

Elica, has introduced the ‘Ecolution Country' range of hoods for the style conscious consumer. Jasmine (pictured) is available with a Pearl or Violet finish and Sophie comes in either Pearl or Green. Both designs are ceiling mounted and are 50cm wide.

Vax's new multi-cyclonic upright vacuum cleaner Mach Air has the suction and performance of a powerful full size upright vacuum cleaner, although it weighs a third less than an equivalent full size machine. Its compact design makes the cleaner very easy to carry and manoeuvre Mach Air has an LED Performance Indicator to alert users of any blockages. The brushbar can be set for cleaning either carpets or hard floors and its retractable handle can be adjusted to eight different heights. For homes with pets, Mach Air2 also has an antibacterial filter and a TurboTool for picking up pet hair.

The Retailer of the Year is by far the biggest survey of independent electrical retailers in the UK. More than 250,000 surveys are mailed out to consumers within 30 days of purchasing electrical goods from independent retailers in the UK. Administered by Domestic & General, the survey runs for a 12-month period from 1 August to 31 July every year. The survey is sent to customers registering their products with manufacturers and from retailer customer returns (ie it encompasses all independent retailers - not just D&G's warranty retailers). Customers filling in the survey are entered into a draw to win a cash prize equivalent to the retail purchase price of their goods.

AMDEA has participated recently in a number of meetings and conferences to discuss what one of my staff calls "smart thingies".

Yes, we are talking about Smart Meters, but in fact what we are discussing goes much further than just a gadget to allow consumers to see how much electricity or gas they are consuming.

Today's home cook is many things. Inspired by adventurous ideas on cookery programmes and with interest in healthy eating at an all-time high, there has never been a better time to capitalise on the nation's love of entertaining at home.

Luxury Italian appliance brand Barazza has introduced the innovative touch screen Velvet oven to the global market. With a 65 litre capacity, it features automatic functions that enable the user to choose optimal settings for different dishes simply by programming in the weight and food type. You can also save up to 36 personalised recipes. Available in three models with left, right or drop down opening doors, 10 cooking functions, an A rating for energy efficiency and comes in a black, white or mirrored glass finish.

New for Whirlpool is the built-in Glamour cooking range, which includes the black glass extractor hood. Characterised by elegant ergonomic design and high quality materials, the collection offers text-assisted, coloured graphic displays and the company's patented 6th Sense intelligent technology. The hood works either automatically or in manual mode, regulating the intensity of the extracted air for the most efficient and time saving results. Even when you're not cooking, sensors can detect pollutants such as smoke and will automatically set the hood at the correct extraction rate to optimise air quality.

The world's first combination microwave oven to use two fans for more evenly cooked food, the LG DuoChef combines microwave with oven, grill and double convection technology to ensure food is cooked through to perfection every time. With a 31 litre capacity and stylish stainless steel design, it's ideal for the modern cook and comes with digital LED display and child lock.

The latest Fisher & Paykel induction range will be enlarged with a 90cm cooktop. The CI905DTB1 has five elements with nine heat settings on each. For easy cooking, there are auto heat reduce and gentle heat functions while a special PowerBoost option uses more than 100% of the power of a zone to provide a boost of intense heat. Additional highlights include pan detection, key lock and a timer that can be used for automatic cooking.

The presence of coffee shops, such as Costa Coffee, Caffe Nero and Starbucks, on almost every high street has raised people's expectations of the quality and variety of coffee they drink. In fact, coffee has become a part of the modern lifestyle. Recreating ‘the café experience' at home is now not only an aspiration but it is considered a necessity by many consumers, especially during the recession. This is excellent news for electrical retailers.

There's a lot to talk about. Uprights; cylinders; suction power; filtration; storage; allergies; extra features; accessories. The list goes on. With so many options, shoppers will look to you for answers. Kelly Morgan, Dyson's sales training manager, has tips for giving the right advice.

A number of consumer electronics products and small appliances are predicted to become Christmas bestsellers regardless of the recessionary pressures on family budgets. In fact, the competitive situation in the market was responsible for a great spate of new product developments with which manufacturers are trying to tempt the retrenching consumer back into the marketplace.

Tesco in the six months to the end of August delivered a very strong non-food performance with double-digit like-for-like growth in electricals; its own brand Technika is now the fifth best-selling TV brand in the UK. Chairman Terry Leahy believes ‘we are past the low point, things are getting better, people feel their financial circumstances are under control'. He sees recovery as being ‘slow and steady'.