Source: CHEAA-run China Appliance magazine
Ten years ago, smart toilets were virtually unknown to most Chinese consumers. A widely discussed essay by business columnist Wu Xiaobo, “Going to Japan to Buy a Toilet Seat,” briefly pushed the product into the national spotlight, even as penetration remained below 2%. Today, smart toilet penetration in China has reached 9.6%, approaching the 10% tipping point for mass adoption. Over the past decade, China’s smart toilet industry has evolved into a globally competitive manufacturing base, with annual output exceeding 10 million units for four consecutive years. Domestic manufacturers have significantly strengthened their capabilities in core components, reducing dependence on foreign suppliers, while product design has shifted from storage- to instant-heating systems and from standalone bidet seats to integrated units. The period has also seen the emergence of the “light smart toilet,” a streamlined, China-specific category focused on essential features and affordability.
Today, the industry stands at the threshold of a new phase. The rollout of mandatory China Compulsory Certification (CCC), together with rapid advances in AI and health-related technologies, is reshaping both the regulatory landscape and the direction of innovation. As government-backed trade-in programs offer fresh momentum while consumer demand remains subdued, the smart toilet sector faces a defining question: what will power its next stage of growth?
A Shifting Industry Landscape
After a decade of rapid expansion, China has become both the world’s largest producer and its biggest market for smart toilets. Growth has been underpinned by two converging forces: rising consumer acceptance and a more mature domestic supply chain. As features such as hygiene, comfort and convenience have gained wider recognition, manufacturers have simultaneously driven down costs through scale production and tighter supply-chain management. Prices have fallen from premium levels to mass-market price points, bringing smart toilets within reach of ordinary households.
In 2025, smart toilets received a policy boost with their inclusion in the national trade-in subsidy program, but the market continues to face challenges due to a weak property sector and low consumer confidence. Data from AVC Research show that between January and September 2025, unit sales reached 2.2 million, down 5% year on year, while sales value fell 14% to RMB 4.07bn.
Leading brands such as Jomoo, Hegii and Arrow continue to post solid volume growth, though revenue has lagged behind as average selling prices fall. Pressure is greater on second- and third-tier players, particularly contract manufacturers, many of which have seen significant scale reductions.
Penetration has nevertheless continued to climb. Data released by the State Administration for Market Regulation in June put smart toilet penetration in China at about 9.6%, just below the 10% level widely seen as a threshold for broader adoption. The industry’s production map is also shifting, with Guangdong now the largest manufacturing base, followed by Fujian, Shanghai and Zhejiang.
The Rise of “Light Smart” Products
After two major rounds of product upgrades—from storage-heating to instant-heating systems, and from split units to integrated models—the smart toilet market is entering a third structural shift. “Light smart” toilets are gaining traction rapidly, with their share of the market rising sharply. These products typically omit warm-water washing while retaining heated seats, with some models adding optional features such as deodorization, automatic lid opening, and foot-activated flushing.
Initially, the segment was dominated by small, low-cost brands based in Chaozhou, targeting lower-tier markets with low-price strategies. As the category expanded, leading manufacturers moved in, with brands including Jomoo, Hegii, Arrow, Panasonic, TOTO and Toshiba rolling out light smart offerings.
Demand dynamics help explain the shift. Lower price points have made the category attractive to cost-conscious consumers, effectively lowering the entry barrier to smart bathroom products. At the same time, light smart toilets appeal to users with relatively simple functional needs—those prioritizing basic comfort over advanced washing features. As a result, the segment has both diverted demand away from fully featured smart toilets and emerged as a key factor weighing on industry-wide average selling prices.
Industry views on the rapid rise of light smart toilets remain mixed. Some insiders see the category as meeting a genuine market need: many consumers are drawn to the overall trend of smart bathrooms and value the basic comfort of heated seats, even if they are not ready to adopt full washing functions. At the same time, they caution that warm-water washing remains the defining feature of smart toilets, providing health and hygiene benefits that distinguish the category from ordinary toilets. Removing this core feature could lead consumers to mistakenly equate “smart” with seat heating alone, undermining the category’s defining purpose.
Others take a more optimistic view, seeing light smart products as a natural entry point for broader adoption. By lowering costs and simplifying features, these products allow first-time users to experience basic smart functionality. Over time, as familiarity and appreciation for smart toilets grow, many users are likely to upgrade to fully featured models with washing functions, potentially accelerating overall market penetration.
Early misconceptions linking light smart products to low quality have also fueled debate. While the category was initially mainly offered by smaller brands at lower price points, industry observers stress that trimming features does not mean compromising quality. Light smart toilets are seen as a bridge between basic and fully featured models, helping cultivate user habits and acceptance. Many in the sector argue that maintaining product quality is essential to ensure a positive user experience, demonstrating that affordability need not come at the expense of performance.
Room for Improvement in Product Details
On July 1, 2025, smart toilets officially became subject to China Compulsory Certification (CCC). Products without certification are no longer allowed to be manufactured or sold. Industry observers see this milestone as the start of a broader “shake-up,” signaling a shift from unregulated growth toward standardized development.
Over the past decade, the industry has made significant technological strides, moving from reliance on foreign components and imitation models to full domestic innovation. Core parts and complete units are now largely developed in-house, with many critical components fully localized.
Manufacturers are increasingly focusing on health as a key driver of innovation. Some have introduced flexible water inlets to accommodate purified water, saline solutions, or medicated washes for specialized cleaning. Others have integrated health-monitoring features capable of tracking indicators such as blood glucose, protein, and ketone levels, with some even including basic ECG functionality. As smart technologies penetrate further, AI is being embedded into key functions, from health management and intelligent water control to human recognition systems.
After a decade of rapid evolution, China’s smart toilet industry has completed a striking transformation. At this new stage, continued growth will depend on sustained technological innovation, user-centered design, and adherence to quality standards—ensuring that smart toilets reach more households across the country.