Beko’s innovative products reflect the brand’s sustainability mission as GCC consumers seek eco-friendly alternatives for sustainable living

24 June 2021 – Beko, Europe’s leading home appliance brand, believes that humans and the planet are interconnected. To raise awareness of Beko’s sustainability mission, the brand held a virtual showcase of its eco-friendly appliances today with Arçelik’s CEO Hakan Bulgurlu, CMO Zeynep Yalım Uzun and CCO Ragıp Balcıoğlu and with a special guest from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Brendan Edgerton, Circular Economy Director.

Though public concern about global climate change has been slow to take root across the Gulf States, mounting government and corporate initiatives, and wider access to information, now appear to be making an impact. A number of actions taken by the GCC nations in recent years have improved awareness of climate change and made environmental sustainability a higher priority.

A Boston Consulting Group’s study of consumers in the six member states found more than 80% of those surveyed saying they would be willing to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle. Depending on the country, 80% to 95% of respondents said they are willing to start or are already taking action in response to climate change. Consumers in the Gulf region are often willing to try eco-friendly products but are hindered by a scarcity of providers and insufficient choices.

In the launch, Beko unveiled seven sustainable products* including a washing machine/washer dryer, oven, tumble dryer, refrigerator, espresso coffee maker and dishwasher to help consumers reduce their impact on the environment.

Hakan Bulgurlu, CEO of Arçelik, Beko’s parent company, said, “Our goals in sustainability and our leading efforts in innovation are two great parts of the same whole. Their evolution depends on each other. It is up to us to find better, more environmentally conscious ways of conducting our lives. With a series of eco-friendly Beko appliances, customers can now fully equip a sustainable home.”

Arçelik’s CMO, Zeynep Yalım Uzun added “Beko’s brand purpose is empowering future generations to live healthier lives, which is only possible by living more sustainably and working towards a healthier planet. All of our actions and every product we use has an impact on nature. So, beyond this seven-product portfolio, we are eager to adapt our existing technologies to make all our appliances more environmentally friendly too. For Beko, this is only the beginning.”

BCG’s research confirmed that there is considerable untapped demand across the GCC for sustainable goods and services. Indeed, it found that most consumers are willing to pay a premium for eco-friendly options. Nonetheless, around 30% of respondents cited lack of options as an obstacle. What’s more, 47% of respondents said they would be more likely to adopt sustainable products if a wider variety of options were available or if they were of a higher quality.

“At Beko, we are passionate about democratizing technology, making it affordable and ensuring that as many people as possible have access to it. By making sustainability a business model and integrating it into everything we do, we strive to reduce human environmental damage through developing high-performance, durable, affordable home appliances that are also eco-friendly” said Arçelik’s CCO Ragıp Balcıoğlu.

Oral Bozkurt, Country Manager of Beko Gulf, Arçelik’s subsidiary for the Gulf states said, “We hear our consumers and strive to be a positive force for change in the region in line with the shift in consumer demand. At Arçelik, we have been focusing on environmentally friendly living for a number of years, raising awareness and developing products that make eco-living possible, affordable and convenient. These products are the first of many to come.”

Products with recycled materials for the planet:

EcoTub Washing Machine & Washer Dryer**

Plastic waste transformed into a valuable alternative raw material
Approximately up to 60 recycled 0.5L PET bottles used in the tubs of washing machines and washer dryers on certain models
Recycled PET flakes used along with other plastics and additives without an effect on the tub’s effective performance
World’s first example of this type of application in home appliances
This eco-friendly new manufacturing method significantly lowers carbon dioxide emissions.
Since the beginning of this project in 2017, 58 million plastic bottles have been recycled with a reduction of CO2 emissions by almost 2,200 tons.

EcoFiber Oven

A sustainable material from recycled fishnet waste and industrial thread waste
5% recycled fishnet waste and 65% industrial thread waste used in plastic parts such as door decor plastic and display cover
50% of the BI Oven inner display cover made from industrial thread waste

GreenDry Tumble Dryer

Uses recycled plastic in 15% of its plastic parts on average, including in the water tank housing and back cover
In the past two years, 2,420 tonnes of plastic were recycled for this cause.

Products with bio-composites for the planet:

BioCycle Refrigerator

Durable components composed of bio-based plastics
Eggtrays made from eggshell wastes and bioplastics
Each fridge’s two eggtrays*** contain eggshell waste from 5 eggs.
The fan cover is 100% bio-based plastics (33gr) from sustainable resources such as corn starch or sugarcane
The door seal is 25% bio-based (soybean oil) materials (195 gr).

BioCoffee Espresso Machine

Developed with bio-composite technology
Each Espresso Machine is made of five cups of coffee residue, reducing carbon footprint by 5% in bio-composite parts

Product that reduces chemicals:

AutoDose Dishwasher

AutoDose dispenses the right amount of detergent for sparkling clean dishes every time
In each wash, up to 28%**** less detergent used with Autodose for a healthy living on a healthy planet

*Product availability varies per market.

** Current products available from the Çayırova Washing Machine Plant are 8-9-10 kg 1400-1600 rpm WM and 8/5kg & 10/6 kg WD. The target is to expand PET usage to other plants.

***The number of egg trays can change according to the model.

**** For lightly soiled dishes & gel detergent usage.