INDUSTRY NEWS FROM KBB REVIEW

KITCHEN SHOWROOM RETAIL IS A ‘PHENOMENAL OPPORTUNITY’ SAYS AO BOSS

Anthony Sant, Managing Director, AO_

Online appliance giant AO is eyeing up the potential of being a major supplier to the independent kitchen specialist sector.

In an exclusive interview for the latest episode of the award-winning kbbreview podcast, Anthony Sant, the Managing Director of the company’s B2B arm AO Business, says that the kitchen retail market is a ‘phenomenal opportunity’.

“I think sometimes we all forget how large the sale of MDA is within the kitchen retail space,” he said. “Whether that be independents or multiples, it’s around 25% of the market and that’s certainly a space that AO wants to be in.”

Sant says that AO’s ability to collect and dispose of old appliances efficiently and safely for no extra cost is the big differential that, while perhaps not significant for retailers now, will become a major USP in the future as legislation forces them to be responsible for electrical waste.

“If people want to just buy boxes from us, we’re not that much different from everybody else,” he said. “But when you start looking a the bigger picture it’s a distinct proposition. People often lose sight of the fact that old electrical appliances are hazardous waste and they need to be taken away using a certified logistics business.”

Sant says that the government is turning its attention to the electrical waste produced by the kitchen retail market as it attempts to close the gap between the amount of products sold and the amount recycled.

“[The government] believes that by making retailers responsible for pick up from the customers home it improves this rate. For the likes of AO, John Lewis, Currys and Argos it’s quite straightforward as they’re predominantly distressed purchases but the biggest kept secret was how much MDA is sold in the kitchen space.

“However, it became very apparent during Covid when you’d go out for your walk and see skips with the old kitchen and appliances sticking out. So the kitchen retail space is hugely important for government to truly drive collections because it’s an area that’s being missed.”

You can hear the full interview with Anthony Sant on the latest episode of The kbbreview Podcast. In it he also discusses appliances shortages, including whether AO gets priority over other retailers when products become available…

TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR INDUSTRY TO RESPOND TO MANDATORY WATER LABEL CONSULTATION

The deadline for retailers and industry figures to respond to the government consultation on introducing compulsory water labelling closes in just over a month.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) are asking for views on introducing a water label across the UK for products like taps, showers, toilets, dishwashers and washing machines.

UWLA managing director, Yvonne Orgill, is urging the KBB industry to complete the short survey to make their opinions be heard by November 25.

Orgill said: “We must not miss this opportunity to make our views known or we risk having a mandatory label imposed that does not meet the needs of the industry. Those that already support the Unified Water Label and know that it is robust, already established and growing, can reinforce our message to Government that a mandatory label is not the best solution.

“We welcome the government’s commitment to reducing water waste but do not consider it necessary or cost effective to develop a new labelling system when one is already in place.”

UWLA managing director, Yvonne Orgill The Unified Water Label that has been identified within the ISO Standard 31600:2022 as best practice, and the Defra has stated in the consultation document that their approach is based on this standard.

With a worldwide label that covers 14 differing product categories and a database that includes 14,000 individual products, The Unified Water Label is regularly accessed by 10,000 architects and specifiers. The label has also been used on 150,000 building or refurbishment projects internationally.

Orgill said: “We believe that a mandatory label will be significantly more expensive for the industry than a voluntary one and that a mandatory system will take away the flexibility that the industry now has to operate a system that meets their needs. They will also be exposed to an enforcement body that will have the power to impose sanctions, under the proposed mandatory scheme.

“We are asking the members and supporters to work with us for the benefit of the industry, and respond before the consultation closes in in just under 6 weeks’ time.”