Why irons are sold less and less in France

Who still irons their shirts? It's a legitimate question, given the sales figures for irons and steam generators.

Year after year, sales of these products are declining. Irons will fall by a further 9% in 2024, and steam generators by a further 7%, according to the latest annual report from the professional association of household appliance brands.

In the late 2000s, the French were buying more than three million irons and steam generators each year, compared to 1.6 million devices in 2024, according to NielsenIQ-GFK. In less than 20 years, sales have halved.

So why this trend? Are the French more sloppy? There are many explanations. First, at work, we dress more casually, or even less formally with teleworking, and we wear fewer professional clothes like uniforms that require perfect ironing.

More and more clothing is made from fabrics that require less ironing. And many washing machines and dryers now have a wrinkle-removal function, which allows for softer laundry at the end of the cycle and often no longer requires ironing.

Otherwise, the French have opted for the steamer, whose sales are increasing. And since we use our irons less, we keep them longer.