Samsung to exit Hong Kong’s home appliance market – report

South Korean tech giant Samsung is reportedly withdrawing from Hong Kong’s large home appliance sector, months after exiting the mainland Chinese market.

Korea Economic TV reported on Wednesday that Samsung’s smartphone, TV and computer monitor operations in Hong Kong will be unaffected.

However, air conditioners, vacuum cleaners and fridges are among the products already marked as sold out – or removed from – Samsung’s official website and local retailers, according to HKFP’s checks on Thursday.

The local home appliance sector is reportedly worth 2.7 trillion won (HK$15 billion), but has seen intensifying competition. US and Japanese brands compete at the premium end, with Chinese manufacturers serving the lower and mid-range segments.

Samsung’s operations in Taiwan remain unaffected by its withdrawal from mainland China.

HKFP has reached out to Samsung for comment.

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Tom founded Hong Kong Free Press in 2015 as the city's first crowdfunded newspaper. He has a BA in Communications and New Media from Leeds University and an MA in Journalism from the University of Hong Kong. He previously founded an NGO advocating for domestic worker rights, and has contributed to the BBC, Deutsche Welle, Al-Jazeera and others.

Tom leads HKFP – raising funds, managing the team and navigating risk – whilst regularly speaking on press freedom, ethics and media funding at industry events, schools and conferences around the world.