Romania’s durable goods market recorded a 14.4% increase in 2017 versus 2016, reaching EUR 2.98 billion, according to the GfK Temax study.

This is the highest level ever recorded on the local durable goods market, surpassing the previous record set in 2008, before the economic crisis.

The telecom segment was the market’s main growth engine last year, with a 29.5% increase in sales, to EUR 1.16 billion, as Romanians bought more smartphones and accessories. The small appliance segment also saw a 17.1% increase in sales, to EUR 226 million and electronics sales increased by 9.2%, to EUR 506 million.

The IT segment, which includes PCs, laptops and tablets, saw a 4.5% increase, to EUR 430 million, and the large appliance segment went up by 3.4%, to EUR 597 million.

In the fourth quarter of 2017, the durable goods market increased by 17.2% versus the same quarter of 2016, reaching EUR 1.09 billion. Telecom sales went up by 38.7% in the fourth quarter.

editor@romania-insider.com