Miele executive director and co-proprietor, Dr Reinhard Zinkann described it as “absolutely great” to be back at IFA in Berlin earlier this month after a three-year hiatus.

“I have missed seeing customers and friends for three years, seeing competition and learning what other brands are doing and simply the atmosphere of IFA,” he told Appliance Retailer in an exclusive interview.

“We are happy because we see the interest in IFA is unbroken with the number of visitors this year – all is positive, and these positive feelings motivate us.

“Times are getting difficult as we run into a recession with inflation and the uncertainty of the war on Ukraine so it’s important to send positive messages which helps to keep people’s moods up and that’s exactly what IFA does.”

For this year’s exhibition, Miele made sustainability the central scope of its stand. “Sustainability has always been an important topic for Miele. We test our products for a 20-year lifespan, and they are produced in sustainable way with Scope 1 and Scope 2 CO2 neutrality,” Dr Zinkann said.

“It’s important to talk about it (sustainability) because everyone must understand the world has to change. At previous IFAs, we always talked about smart applications but now the point is to combine these digital features with sustainability to save energy and water.”

For example, the Miele dashboard shows energy consumption on a smartphone. “Before you just knew there was an energy saving program but didn’t understand what it meant. The consumption dashboard helps the consumer to choose the right program and operate their appliances efficiently, saving money and reducing CO2 emissions at the same time.

“Smart home has become more important, and it has exciting innovations like assistance systems for cooking. Nevertheless, some innovations derive from the hardware of our appliances. My personal favourite product at the show is the Miele DGC Pro with innovative HydroClean self-cleaning function. I’ve tested it myself and it works well.

“We also have a new entry line built-in oven range. We need differentiation between entry level and premium level. Not everybody wants, or can spend, the money for a top-notch oven with a camera inside but people want a top brand like Miele. That’s why we invested in this new range that comes with automatic programs and connectivity in the entry line. That attracts the younger generation.”