Electrolux, Europe’s biggest home appliances maker, swung to a loss in the second quarter as cash-strapped shoppers opted for cheaper products and demand from residential property builders slowed.

The Swedish group said organic sales fell 8 per cent as sales volumes shrank significantly due to continued weak demand.

“The weak market demand environment, with lower consumer purchasing power resulting in more consumers shifting to lower price points, continued also in the second quarter,” CEO Jonas Samuelson said in a statement.

“Lower residential construction and remodelling activity caused significantly weaker demand within the built-in kitchen category, mainly impacting us in Europe,” he said.

Electrolux said in a separate statement it had started preparations for a potential divestment of Zanussi and other non-core brands in the coming years.

It reported a second-quarter operating loss of $12.1 million against a year-earlier profit of 560 million.

• Reporting by Anna Ringstrom, editing by Louise Breusch Rasmussen and David Evans, of Reuters.