Rental Business

Appliance Rental and Circular Economy: What Impact?

In 2020, French consumers spent €1.2 billion on major appliances and €822 million on small appliances

July 7, 2021

16 min read

In 2020, French consumers spent €1.2 billion on major appliances and €822 million on small appliances (Statista).

Over ten years, small appliance sales have jumped by 44%, reaching more than 54 million units sold in 2019.

Overconsumption Paradox

French consumers continue to accumulate more and more household appliances, while manufacturers increase their production each year. Yet this massive consumption doesn't optimize resources. In reality, most household appliances remain largely underutilized.

Numbers that raise questions about actual usage:

A drill is used on average only 12 minutes during its entire lifespan
The world sells a vacuum cleaner every ten seconds, but users generally only use them once a week

How can we optimize the use of these appliances while preserving resources?

After furniture rental, some companies are now venturing into appliance rental.

Appliances: Thinking of Products "as a Service"

Do we really need to buy a household appliance to use it?

Consumer expectations are changing. Today, they prefer easy access to a product to use it simply, without necessarily purchasing it.

Their needs also change according to their lifestyles and mobility: sometimes they only need a product for a few weeks or months.

Rental Benefits for Consumers

This is typically the case with household appliances. That's why some companies now offer these products for rent, allowing consumers to access expensive, high-quality products at an affordable price, not worry about maintenance, and return them when no longer needed.

Examples of European initiatives:

Bosch launched the Blue Movement program in the Netherlands, offering customers the option to rent a fridge, washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, or vacuum cleaner starting from €7.99 per month.

All products are delivered and installed free of charge, with repairs and assistance also included in the subscription price.

In France:

Boulanger offers customers the option to rent small and major appliances for periods of 6, 12, 24, 36, or 48 months.

The rental price includes delivery, repair, and assistance. At the end of the rental period, products are refurbished to give them a second life.

Thus, rental is a flexible way for consumers to enjoy product benefits without worrying about the usual constraints of purchasing, such as repairs and maintenance.

Contributing to the Circular Economy with Appliance Rental

Producing household appliances requires mobilizing many resources that aren't inexhaustible.

More and more appliances are manufactured each year only to spend most of their time... in our cupboards.

Circular Vision

Based on this observation, startup Kazoo offers on-demand rental of these appliances, based on users' actual needs.

"We were frustrated seeing appliances sleeping in our cupboards, while we needed to acquire new ones because our needs had evolved. This frustration led us to think about a solution that would allow access to an appliance when it's truly useful, and freely separate from it so someone else can benefit rather than storing it in a cupboard." - explains Kazoo founder Camille Faure.

Appliance Rental at Kazoo

Kazoo allows customers to rent household appliances without commitment and return them at any time, so they can serve someone else.

The company is entirely built on a circular model:

All rental products are highly repairable
Spare parts lifespan of more than 10 years
Products mainly manufactured in France and Europe
Returned appliances are refurbished in a professional reintegration workshop

This model helps limit overconsumption, extend appliance lifespan, and reduce new product manufacturing.

Other circular initiatives in France:

Startup Les biens en commun enables neighbors to share their household appliances through connected lockers installed in building entrance halls.

Plan	Price	Benefits
Monthly subscription	Fixed rate	Unlimited access to appliances
Pay-per-use	Approximately €1 per hour	Maximum flexibility

Included services:

Rental management via online account and integrated locker screen
Maintenance and replacement of worn appliances
Accidental damage insurance included in rates

Objective?

The idea is to valorize appliances in circulation while reducing the amount of appliance waste.

Repair and recycling are handled by an operator who centralizes and manages end-of-life appliances.

Finally, the company aims to contribute to local job creation by creating a viable market for appliances made in France.

Going Further

To learn more about appliance rental, you can read more in this article: Appliance Rental: A Modern and Practical Alternative

ZIQY is proud to have supported Kazoo in this circular approach. If you want to implement a circular model through rental, get support from experts. Contact us.

Why Integrate Rental into Your Business Strategy?

Appliance rental isn't just an innovative service for customers.

It's also a strategic opportunity for brands looking to:

Diversify revenue streams through regular rental income rather than one-time sales
Build long-term customer loyalty through multi-month or multi-year commitments
Strengthen brand image by fully embracing circular economy and waste reduction approaches
Access new markets: students, young professionals, expatriates, mobile professionals

Today, integrating a rental model helps better meet modern consumer expectations: simplicity, flexibility, sustainability.

How to Successfully Transition to a Circular Rental Model?

Implementing a rental offering requires a precise strategy.

To maximize your chances of success, here are the key steps:

Study your market to identify products best suited for rental
Define your business model: subscription, short-term rental, service packages...
Optimize logistics to guarantee reliable, maintained, and easily available products
Communicate effectively with your audience to showcase rental benefits
Monitor performance of your offering through data collection (usage rates, average contract duration, customer satisfaction rates)

Expert Support

With expert support, the transition to a rental model can be rapid and create strong added value for your business.

Evolve Your Business Model with ZIQY

At ZIQY, we support brands and distributors at every stage of their transition to rental and circular economy models.

From feasibility studies to operational implementation, including creating smooth digital customer journeys, our approach is comprehensive and adapted to your needs.

Whether you're at the beginning of your reflection or ready to launch, our teams are here to secure your project and help you accelerate in this promising market.

👉 Schedule a meeting with our experts to explore your future circular model together.

Evolve your offering. Develop new revenue streams. Engage your customers long-term.