China's kitchen & bath market embraces smart living with AI, health innovations
Visitors at ongoing Kitchen & Bath China exhibition in Shanghai, Asia's largest industry show, held from Tuesday to Friday.
China's kitchen and bath appliance sector is experiencing a surge in innovation, driven by an escalating consumer appetite for advanced artificial intelligence and health-centric features.
Firms are actively upgrading their product lines, introducing sophisticated offerings such as beauty-enhancing bath showers and smart toilets capable of performing health checks via urine tests and providing rapid heating, particularly beneficial for elderly users.
This robust demand is further amplified by a national trade-in subsidy program, which incentivizes consumers to upgrade their home appliances. Such government initiatives are a core component of China's broader strategy to boost domestic consumption and sustain economic growth, especially as the nation navigates its ongoing trade relations with the United States.
People check a smart toilet with fast warming features.
Consumers want new features
The trend towards high-quality, smart bathroom fittings, prioritizing comfort and hygiene, is being showcased at the ongoing Kitchen & Bath China exhibition in Shanghai, Asia's largest industry show, which kicked off on Tuesday and runs through Friday.
Germany-based Villeroy & Boch, for instance, is displaying its new Supreo toilet. Making its China debut, it is slated for domestic market availability in October. A key highlight for the elderly demographic is the toilet's "within 10 seconds" super-fast warming feature, an improvement over competitors' several-minute heating times.
"A smart and warm toilet is a necessity for my life today," remarked Cai Xiaofang, a 74-year-old suffering from arthritis and gastroenterological issues.
Two ladies test Jomoo's new product lines with AI features.
Chinese brand Jomoo, the country's leading bathroom gadget brand, also unveiled its "AI Bath" product lines in Shanghai.
These include toilets integrated with the DeepSeek AI model, enabling intelligent control via movement sensors and environmental detection. One new Jomoo model boasts the capability to conduct rapid health checks through urine tests, aiding users in preventing unforeseen health risks.
Lin Xiaowei, Jomoo's operating president, highlighted that consumers upgrading their bathroom products for new features are fueling the global bathroom device market, which is projected to grow by 25 percent annually.
He Fan, chairman of the Shanghai Institute for National Economy, commented, "With the improvement in living standards, consumer demands have driven brand change and new market opportunities, especially in cross-field synergies, to form industrial breakthroughs."
Reflecting this, Jomoo has also partnered with Shanghai-listed beauty product developer Bloomage BioTech to launch a shower featuring beauty and skin-care functionalities.
Macalline, a prominent home decoration and furniture chain, has committed over 100 million yuan (US$13.9 million) in resources, as part of a monthly event, to boost home decoration-related consumption.
Dual subsidies to boost consumption
Beyond government incentives, the industry itself has launched extensive campaigns to invigorate consumption.
Macalline, a prominent home decoration and furniture chain, has committed over 100 million yuan (US$13.9 million) in resources, including on-site services, promotional campaigns, and coupons, as part of a monthly event to boost home decoration-related consumption.
Over 400 Macalline outlets nationwide, including those in major cities like Shanghai and Beijing, are participating.
Macalline, in collaboration with its partners, is offering "dual subsidies" – combining national and in-store incentives – to attract more consumers, its chairman Li Yupeng said in Shanghai recently.
The upcoming 618 (June 18) online shopping festival is further expected to accelerate this consumption upgrade trend.
