According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, the retail sales of household appliances and audio-visual equipment by units above designated size in 2024 reached 1.0307 trillion yuan, an increase of 12.3% over the previous year, surpassing the peak of 945.4 billion yuan in 2017 and breaking through the trillion yuan mark, setting a new historical high. According to data released by the Ministry of Commerce, in 2024, the central government will provide strong support for the sale of over 62 million units of eight major categories of household appliances through trade in programs, directly driving consumption by nearly 270 billion yuan. From September to December 2024, the retail sales of household appliances and audio-visual equipment by units above designated size increased by 20.5%, 39.2%, 22.2%, and 39.3% respectively, achieving double-digit growth for four consecutive months. Among the 8 major categories of household appliances for trade in, sales of first level energy-efficient products account for over 90%. According to the National Energy Conservation Center, the replacement of high-efficiency household appliances in 2024 will promote an annual energy saving of over 10 billion kilowatt hours for the whole society. The Ministry of Commerce stated that the next step will continue to be to organize and implement, guiding various regions to implement the detailed work of exchanging old appliances for new ones and expanding the scope. At the same time, we encourage subsidies for "purchasing new" and convenience for people to "exchange old", accelerate the improvement of the recycling system for waste household appliances and other renewable resources, and promote the formation of an effective mechanism for "making it easier to get rid of old and more willing to exchange for new". (New Society)