By Lorna Brett

Small luxury kitchen appliances and other high-end cooking implements continue to attract greater levels of spending, despite the fact that US consumers continue to behave frugally and reduce their levels of overall luxury spending.

According to Unity Marketing's Luxury Tracking Study, spending patterns on luxury items appeared to be returning to normal for many of the post-recession quarters but its Luxury Consumption Index (LCI) stalling during July this year, at 78.3 points. The tracking study showed that luxury kitchen appliance sales remained strong in the US for the quarter, despite the overall stall.
36% of luxury consumers said the US as a whole is worse off now than three months ago, up from 31% who said a similar thing during March 2010.
The research company says that affluent consumers are reflecting a general uncertainly held about economic prospects for the next three months, and that the stall is reason for concern, according to Appliance Magazine.

"Without a doubt the luxury consumer market is in a much better place today than it was a year or so ago, but the latest survey warns marketers not to ease up or be over-confident that the recession's effect on the luxury market are over," Unity Marketing president Pam Danziger said.

"Nearly three out of four luxury consumers surveyed believe that the recession continues, which in turn impacts spending on luxury goods and services. Marketers are advised to continue to position luxury as a value proposition, by keeping luxury connotations and image up front in advertising, packaging and service, but communicating in a very subtle, almost one-on-one way, affordable pricing," she added.

Unity Marketing surveyed 1349 luxury consumers between July 3 and 8, 2010.