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Türkiye’s white goods sector opened 2026 on a weak footing, with exports falling 23% year-on-year in the first quarter, dragging total sales down 19% to around 6.3 million units while production declined 21%.
Domestic demand also softened, with sales across six main product groups slipping 10% compared to the same period last year, pointing to a broad slowdown across both local and external markets.
The slowdown deepened in March, showing no clear sign of recovery. Total sales dropped 21% year-on-year to roughly 2.2 million units, while exports plunged 29% and production fell 14%. Domestic sales posted a milder decline of 3%.
Turkish White Goods Manufacturers Association (TURKBESD) President Alper Sengul warned that the export downturn may become more persistent.
"This picture points to the risk of a more permanent decline in export performance due to global demand conditions and slowdown in external markets," he said.
He noted that exports have been weakening for several years, adding that the double-digit drop in the first quarter of 2026 shows that the trend continues.
In 2025, Türkiye’s white goods sector saw domestic sales fall 3% to 9.9 million units, exports drop 10% to a decade-low 20.2 million units, and production decline 9% year-on-year to 29 million units.
The sector faces pressure from multiple fronts. Energy, raw material and financing costs remain elevated, while trade measures such as anti-dumping practices, monitoring requirements, and additional taxes have increased both costs and processing times.
At the same time, cost advantages from Far East producers and aggressive pricing strategies are intensifying competition in export markets, further squeezing margins.
Sengul said the sector’s competitiveness is increasingly caught between shrinking exports, rising costs and restrictive trade policies, making it harder to sustain its position abroad.
Against this backdrop, supporting the domestic market has become more critical, he stressed, pointing out that high credit card interest and commission rates are weighing on sales channels. He suggested that expanding installment options could help sustain domestic demand.
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