Europe’s largest trade fair for electronics, home appliances and consumer goods, IFA Berlin 2022, already opened to the press on Wednesday with a debate on the factors influencing technology consumption this year. The public will have access to the event in the German capital from 2-6 September.
While the pandemic period has seen the market grow from $1.202 trillion in 2019 to $1.407 trillion in 2021, inflation – driven in large part by high energy prices – and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as problems in supply chains, began to stifle tech consumption earlier this year.






Year of uncertainty
2022 will be a year of uncertainty, said Sara Warnecke, managing director of GFU Consumer Home and Electronics, the organiser of IFA Berlin 2022. Technology enthusiasts in Europe, the United States and China are becoming more pessimistic about their financial situation and the current state of the economy. They are consuming less and tightening their belts more, Warneke noted.
But there’s also good news from the market, which still remained above the pre-pandemic covid 2019 level. The energy crisis has challenged appliance manufacturers in particular to find solutions to increase their energy efficiency. This has led to talk of washing machines that no longer take hours to get laundry clean and dry, and even a toothbrush that cleans teeth in ten seconds.
The World Cup, a chance for TV producers
Another reason for optimism for the end of 2022 is the World Cup in Qatar. The first matches are scheduled for the end of November, when the weather cools down across much of the globe, and most fans will choose to watch them at home rather than out on the terrace in town, as they would in summer, for example. As a result, technology experts expect demand for smart TVs, with screens and audio systems that offer experiences as close as possible to the atmosphere of the big stadiums, to grow significantly.
LG, for example, will showcase the world’s largest OLED TV, the 97-inch G2, in Berlin. The LG OLED evo Gallery Edition 97G2 will be available this autumn, but no word yet on price. According to market research, OLED screens will account for 55% of the European premium TV market this year and 66% by 2023, reports theluxurereview.com.
Wednesday was the starting point for this technology fair, which returned to physical form after two years of pandemonium in a delicate context. In addition to LG, brands such as Samsung, Panasonic, Miele, Electrolux, Liebherr, Honor and Jura will be exhibiting. For now, work is still in progress on the stands, which the public will have access to from 2 September, as you can see from the photo gallery below.
In addition to the big players in the industry, newcomer innovators play an important role at this year’s IFA. The IFA NEXT Innovation Centre occupies the entire hall 20 of the fair. This is where leading research institutes, universities and startups will showcase the latest technology trends. Visitors will also see innovations in areas such as sustainability, connectivity and artificial intelligence.