The High Definition format war has entered a new stage with the announcement that Blu-ray on Disc movie sales across Europe have topped one million units. The statement was made by the Blu-ray Disc Association European Promotions Committee in the last week of November.

Water specialist Aqua Optima has been the driving force behind the hot water market, which has increased by almost 150% this year. The company has doubled its turnover as a result of a recent advertising campaign and an increase in distribution and marketing activity.

A consultation paper proposing a consistent approach to recycling information labelling on consumer packaging across the UK retail sector has just been launched by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) – a retailer working group.

Joining hands with Bristol-based charity SOFA Project (Shifting Old Furniture Around), Baumatic has found an environmentally sound solution for recycling its appliances. In the past Baumatic sent its unwanted fridges to Germany to be broken down (gases removed). Now the company sends all its Grade D appliances (used, faults, returns) to SOFA Project, which helps over 7,000 low income households a year, while also diverting products that would have otherwise gone to landfill.

The Government has announced the doubling of funding for the Train to Gain scheme which is a part of an investment programme which will see over £11 billion a year invested in education, employment and training. The Scheme offers bespoke skills brokerage to enable all employers to identify and then meet their skills needs.

Ann-Marie Jones has been appointed marketing manager at Roberts.  She joins from MXR Digital where she has been responsible for promoting a portfolio of digital radio stations. She will be co-ordinating all Roberts advertising, promotional and PR activity.

Publishing Reviews from the Top at the beginning of the new trading year is a good opportunity for a reflection on what constitutes success in our industry – the real success, regardless of the size of a company. 

The De Dietrich DCM6120X Double Pyroclean Range Cooker won the Gold Award for 'Large Appliance of the Year 2007' at the annual House Beautiful Awards, held in London. Richard Walker, sales and marketing director of De Dietrich Kitchen Appliances received the Award from actress, Clare Sweeney who  recently starred in the musical 'Chicago'  in London's West End.

Domotechnica, the domestic appliances trade show which will take place between 18 and 21 February 2008 in Cologne, Germany, will have a different structure this year. The old concept of dividing the 44,000 m2 exhibition space between large and small appliances and components has been replaced with a new structure in which all the appliances will be exhibited according to their market branding.

Lawton has strengthened its distributor's position within the independent retail sector with the creation of Lawton Home Electronics division.  With Lawton's accessory trade growing at over 30% year-on-year, Lawton HE has been created to develop the expanding audio and video hardware side of the business.

Sonos has introduced a new product to its Sonos Digital Music System, which enables users to set up and extend an all-wireless system.

Hot on the heels of the successful launch of the A2RW-6 Opera range cooker, Smeg has introduced a new red colourway.

The Nikon CoolPix S510 has the smallest stainless steel body in its class, says its makers, and is available in silver or black from Direktek.

The latest gadget from Roberts Radio enables users to tune into DAB radio via an iPod.

The Delius fire from Dimplex is the latest to feature the manufacturer's Optiflame technology.

Headphone and cartridge manufacturer Grado has expanded its range with the new iGrado headphones.

De Dietrich has expanded its range of induction hobs with the launch of a four-zone linear model.

Ewbank, best known for its floor sweepers, has introduced a new anti-allergy bed cleaner, designed to kill bacteria and help eradicated dust mites.

The most important element of successful retailing is for retailers to know and understand their target customer market. With this in mind and in the context of the current green climate, the Energy Savings Trust has  classified  consumers in its Green Barometer on climate change. They are:

The engine of the retail activity in the near future will be the more mature shopper, according to new research from Verdict Consulting UK.

The KODAK Picture Kiosk GS Compact, an entry-level, self-service digital picture printing solution, is a new business opportunity for smaller retail locations from Eastman Kodak Company. Well-suited for locations with print demand of 30-50 prints a day, the GS Compact is a smaller countertop unit that combines flexible placement with fast and simple installation. Almost immediately, retailers can begin offering 4x6, 5x7 and 6x8-in print sizes, creating an instant revenue stream.

2007 marked my first full year as chief executive at AMDEA. It has certainly been an interesting one. I have run trade associations in the past, but each one has a different character, and there is certainly a learning curve involved in the early stages.

Bryan Lovewell, the newly appointed Chief Executive of retra, comments on retra's involvement in the digital switchover process, and the role the independent plays in it – partly because of his role in the industry and partly by default – since there is a shortage of informed advice on this issue. 

AV furniture is now definitely a category in its own right providing much needed margin to retailers in times where prices of hardware continue to fall. And this will continue throughout 2008 when over eight million flat screens are expected to be sold. Two thirds will need a new TV support leaving the remaining third to be wall-mounted.

2007 has been a very successful year for BEKO.  Not only are we the No.1 refrigeration brand, but we have further strengthened our position in the market with the introduction of the new built-in range which includes ovens and hobs as well as a selection of fully integrated cooling and dishwashing products.   Another ‘hero’ product of 2007 has been the Xpress Washing Machine, the quickest machine on the market at full load. We are now also the proud shirt sponsors of Watford FC.

BISSELL's new ProHeat All Rounder has received a terrific retailer and consumer response.  This totally different floorcare concept cries out to be demonstrated. Differentiating a retailer's sales offering, it's the next big thing for savvy independents. 

2007 was a milestone year for the company and it started with the successful launch of the new Fagor range. We culminated the year with the launch of the new 2008 De Dietrich Appliance Collection, which features many new technological advances such as Continuum induction, touch control ovens, designer hoods and innovative and intelligent dishwashing and laundry products.

2007 has seen an escalation in De'Longhi's expert coffee credentials, with incredible growth of distribution, sales, and market share in the UK with the launch of several high-end machines, including the premium bean-to-cup machine 'PrimaDonna'. In 2008, De'Longhi will continue to expand its portfolio, with the launch of a new range of bean-to-cup machines, and also the expansion of the revolutionary 'Lattissima' range that uses Nespresso capsules.

Domotec's 2007 range was immediately well received by the trade as we continue to live up to our brand ethos of ‘Innovative appliances made affordable’. This means new products from all of our brands, including the new and eagerly awaited 500 series Roomba robotic floor vacuum which has gained category status in 2007 with burgeoning sales across our distribution.

In 2007, Dyson continued to develop new technology, including three new cylinder vacuum cleaners. DC19 comes with a Flatout(tm) tool that's thin enough to fit under furniture and appliances. DC20 Stowaway(tm) has a hose that wraps around the body so it's easy to carry and store. While DC21 Motorhead(tm) has a motorised brushbar to delve deep into carpets and remove dust.

2007 has been quite a tough year for the floorcare market, but Electrolux has been one of the few brands to grow, with launches of innovative products such as The Power of Red range and the unique foldable Intensity vacuum cleaner which has over 50% more suction power than the leading upright.

For Electrolux, 2007 was a critical year with our biggest launch ever in the UK across all our MDA product categories – that of the Electrolux Global Design range at Wembley Stadium in April. This was followed by a brand awareness campaign to drive the re-launch of Electrolux as the thoughtful innovator, the ‘Thinking of You’ brand, using key products such as ‘Iron Aid’ and ‘Brita’.

2007 has been a very busy year for Fisher & Paykel in the UK. We moved into new offices in Milton Keynes that include a new showroom and warehouse.  We successfully introduced a number of new products including a full range of built in ovens and free standing cookers. Fisher & Paykel continued to innovate with the introduction of new range of ice and water refrigeration that proved to be very popular with retailers and customers alike. We have seen substantial sales increases in all categories.

Our data shows a 35% contract cancellation rate in the average dealer rental book during the past 12 months. Why customers are choosing to purchase rather than rent when the product now becomes obsolete so quickly is unclear. It may be due to the current lack of rental advertising added to the demise of DER, Granada and Visionhire from the high street.

2007 saw GDHA scoop a hat trick as it won the Domestic and General Total Excellence and Quality Award for Customer Care for the third year running which, as the only appliance manufacturer to do so, is something we are particularly proud of.

Home-tek's top selling Steam Mop has helped create a whole new sector in the floorcare market and 2007 sales have exceeded expectations. This patented product uses high temperature, dry steam (110C) to clean and sanitise all floor surfaces without leaving them wet. The range of “Light'n'Easy” cleaning products will continue to expand with new steam cleaning products, carpet sweepers and vacuum cleaners.Our Ainsley Harriott kitchen appliance range continues to expand and some exciting new innovative products will be introduced during 2008.

2007 has been a year of innovation for Intempo.  Our heritage in DAB has converged with our expertise in MP3 speaker-docks to bring to market a new range of technologies. 

2007 has been an exciting year for Kenwood. Not only have we celebrated 60 successful years at the forefront of kitchen appliance innovation and design, but have also launched the stylish new kMix range to complement our exciting lines of kitchen machines. Our iconic Kenwood Chef has again received high profile endorsement from leading Chef Heston Blumenthal, reflecting the premium nature of the product.

2007 has certainly been Indesit's year, with the brand achieving a 10% share of the total UK appliance market for the first time (source: GfK July 2007).  This new territory for Indesit is a clear reflection of the intensive marketing campaign initiated this year to launch the new Indesit Moon washing machine. The £2m+ media campaign spend spread across TV in the UK and Ireland.

2007 got off to a great start when LG revealed the world's first dual format player, the Super Multi Blue, which plays both HD DVD and Blu-ray.

Design has featured heavily throughout LG's 2007 range of domestic appliances. Key demand factors among consumers have been capacity, reliability, energy efficiency, innovative features (special functions) and aesthetic elements, and this trend looks set to continue into 2008.

We were delighted to receive the first ever Which? Best Domestic Appliance Brand award in 2007.  These awards have been set up to recognise and congratulate companies that have excelled throughout the last year.

2007 has been another very competitive year in the small appliance sector.  Our market share has remained strong fuelled by powerful design and product innovation.  We continue to invest heavily in consumer research and in our in-house design team, both of which ensure all the products we launch are designed to meet the needs of the UK consumer.

For Optimum, 2007 saw the introduction of some exciting new product ranges, combining modern European styling and functional design.  The AV furniture market is driven by a combination of fashion and function.  Our high quality furniture has both in-built style and savvy functionality to complement the latest looks in the hardware market.

For Neff, 2007 was a time of considerable growth over the previous year.  Several models introduced during 2006 opened up some new 'niche' areas for the brand.  Sales of the USA-style refrigeration, built-in coffee machine and increased range of chimney hoods were all very successful.

Roberts are the innovators in the DAB portable radio sector and boasts over 25 products in its DAB portfolio.  2007 has seen the company introduce new technologies that enhance the DAB proposition.

2007 marks a year of innovation for PAB. By increasing our presence in the small domestic appliance market with the acquisition of Catalyst in early January, PAB has developed a portfolio of stylish products, fronted by high-calibre celebrities including wine connoisseur Oz Clarke and health guru Rosemary Conley. We also extended our White-Westinghouse range, offering consumers top of the range smart products, including warming drawers and wine coolers.

2007 was an extremely successful year for Electra. Since it became sister company to Servis in 2006, we have continued to build on its quintessentially British heritage, shaped over the last forty years. The new generation of Electra appliances, with contemporary designs and state of the art technology, have been welcomed into the market by consumers and independent retailers alike. 

2007 has been a hugely significant year for PURE, seeing us move from dominance in a single DAB category, to dominance in three categories (portable radio, clock radio and personal stereo), and entry into the area of in-car DAB.

The past year has seen some exciting developments in the consumer electronics sector, from the expanding world of the personal music player to the fast emerging next generation HD markets and slim-line digital LCD screen technology innovations.

Another record year in 2007 has confirmed Siemens as the UK's best-selling premium domestic appliance brand within the independent sector. Underpinned by the reward-based pricing policy we introduced in 2007, our supporting independent retailers have seen tangible benefits from our unrivalled trade and consumer promotional activity and are thriving from their ability to sell our high-quality, high-value appliances.

We sure have ridden the High Definition wave in 2007, with an array of exciting new products and technologies that have captured the imagination of consumers. BRAVIA LCD TV's continue to lead the market in bringing stunning High Definition to life in the living room.

In September 2007, Allianz Schemes commissioned GfK NOP to undertake a consumer research study in the UK to examine people's opinions and attitudes to early replacement of domestic appliances, and provide some insights into extended warranty purchases. Andrew Cackett, strategic marketing manager at Allianz Schemes, interprets the findings.

After the shake-out in 2006 that saw administrators being called in at PowerHouse, Miller Brothers and Homebuy, casualties in the past year have been more local, with Plumbs setting the ball rolling in the first days of January.   A succession of other smaller independents failed or opted out as the year progressed.