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Türkiye’s white goods industry recorded a 10% drop in total sales in November from a year earlier, as a slight increase in domestic sales failed to offset the sharp decline in exports amid persistently weak foreign demand.
According to the Turkish White Goods Manufacturers Association (TURKBESD), exports plunged 17% despite a 5% rise in domestic unit sales, while production fell 11% during the month.
"The limited upward movement in the domestic market, unfortunately, remains insufficient to reverse the overall trend in the sector," said TURKBESD Chair Alper Sengul, referring to the cumulative figures.
During the January–November period, total sales across the six main product categories—refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, ovens, chest freezers, and dryers—fell by 8% year-on-year to 27.9 million units. Export volumes declined by 9%, matching a 9% drop in production, while domestic sales contracted by 4%, showing that the sector remains under pressure from both internal and external demand.
Looking at individual products, refrigerator exports had the biggest drop in November, falling 32% from a year earlier. On the other hand, domestic sales of dishwashers went up by 12%, the best performance among the six categories. But demand for chest freezers kept falling sharply, with local sales down 47% year-over-year, the lowest among all segments.
Commenting on the figures, local brokerage firm Seker Yatirim noted that although there are some early signs of a limited, product-level recovery in the domestic market, continued weakness in exports and production is likely to keep the sector on a cautious path in the short term.
However, the analysts pointed to rising pressure from Chinese manufacturers, who can offer cheaper prices thanks to their large-scale production, especially in European markets. "This competition, especially concentrated in the European market, continues to erode Türkiye’s export competitiveness and contributes to the deepening decline in external sales," the report stated.
"Overall, despite a slight pickup in domestic demand, weak foreign demand and rising global competition are expected to keep the pressure on the sector’s performance."
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