Is 2026 the year that home appliances bring adverts to the heart of the home?

In September 2025, Samsung announced that it would start showing adverts on some of its new fridge models in the US as it plans to bring ads into “every screen in the connected home”. It’s the latest move in the advertising space, which is expanding its reach, putting billboards on smart appliances found in the centre of our homes, in places that have traditionally been protected, private spheres. This push for more creative marketing comes as restrictions on advertising harmful products, such as tobacco, gambling and unhealthy foods, continue to expand.

Is this trend an annoyance that consumers can avoid or manage, a novel way of receiving tailored content, or indicative of a more chilling shift?

Beyond cooling food, smart fridges are internet-enabled appliances that act as kitchen hubs, featuring built-in screens for calendars, music, and weather.

The most advanced models feature machine vision technology, too, where a built-in camera can track what is inside the fridge and send users recipe suggestions or notify them when food is close to its use-by date.

Clearly, there are some benefits. Improved food management could reduce food waste, help families save on grocery bills, or suggest healthier recipes.

But the integration of a display, an internet connection, and the collection of data about the user and the contents of their fridge opens the door to another feature. It shifts the fridge’s role from an everyday appliance to an advertiser’s dream.

Advertising has long existed in homes, on televisions, radios and smartphones. This new technology represents something different, with commercial content moving on to household appliances where media content hasn’t previously been shown.

It’s also more covert. People are used to adverts on TV or the radio. Encountering adverts on appliances, even when not interacting with them, means the commercial messaging is less anticipated and harder to filter out. It’s also harder to control, as it’s impractical to turn the fridge off every time an advert plays.

Beyond fridges, advances in technology are providing more opportunities to serve people ads. Recent developments include the introduction of adverts on car media screens, on the lock screen of mobile phones and through smart speakers. There is even a company offering free TVs with a second screen that shows ‘always on’ adverts and collects data on viewing habits, interactions with ads, and the number of people watching.

Adverts could soon be coming to other appliances. Samsung now has screens on washing machines, tumble dryers, and ovens. Others may follow suit even amidst media scrutiny. LG has added screens and speakers to its microwaves, for example.

The potential introduction of dynamic ads like videos on these everyday appliances crosses a line into private spaces and everyday tasks, where previously only static advertising, like in magazines, was common. It is acknowledged that changes in advertising practices like this increase the influence ads have over consumers. They may also compromise privacy and security by enabling increased data collection, profiling and new opportunities for hacking.

Research shows that an increase in advertising of products such as alcohol, tobacco and unhealthy food is correlated with an increase in health-harming behaviours. While the health sector advocates for more control over what ads people (particularly vulnerable groups) see and when, the impending advertising restrictions coming into force in January 2026 are a watered-down version of what was consulted on.

Even as advertising restrictions tighten on the content and location of adverts, questions remain around the extent to which people realise that what they are exposed to is often highly targeted. The movement of adverts into the heart of people’s homes will likely only increase the influence they have over behaviour.

The rise of AI is also making it easier for companies to personalise ads in response to online behaviour and profile. While this can be beneficial and might result in consumers seeing more of what is interesting, more sophisticated messaging can have a greater influence on behaviours and attitudes.

Smart fridges and appliances like it are being marketed as innovative, beneficial and time-saving for consumers. There are undoubtedly benefits, not least for businesses in terms of increased profits and more customers through new features like remote functionality via apps and smart home networks. Yet there are also privacy and security drawbacks, as the most private spaces in our homes risk being turned into constant commercial zones.

As this technology expands, robust oversight is critical. Regulations are being introduced, such as those concerning unhealthy food advertising in the UK, which would affect adverts on appliances if manufacturers decide to show ‘paid for’ ads on UK models (non-paid for ads remain exempt). However, these regulations already appear to be insufficient, as they restrict advertising of specific unhealthy products but still allow companies to advertise entire brands or product ranges that include those unhealthy items. This highlights some of the wider context of regulating sophisticated, new advertising channels that reach the heart of the home.

Regulators must therefore continue to work with industry to ensure that oversight of data collection and targeted advertising is strong enough to provide customers the convenience of the connected home while still having the choice to unplug.