Computer shipments experienced a decline for the second quarter in a row at the end of the first half of the year, hindered by issues on both the demand and supply side, according to a report released this week by technology analysts Canalys.

Total notebook and desktop shipments fell sharply to 12.3 million units, representing an 18 per cent year-on-year decline.

The category of notebooks suffered the most, with shipments falling by 26 per cent year-on-year to 9.5 million units.

On the other hand, desktops did much better, experiencing growth of 22 per cent year-on-year, rising to 2.7 million units, something which has been primarily attributed to elevated commercial demand.

“The consumer-oriented tablet market was hit badly, shrinking 24 per cent from last year to 5.9 million units,” the report said.

The company explained that the poor performance of the computer segment in the second quarter was the result of major supply chain disruption, with factories and ports being closed or otherwise affected by lockdown measures.

In addition, soaring inflation and rising energy costs have affected European consumers, in turn dissuading them from spending on electronics at the same pace as before.

“On top of unprecedented supply issues, the second quarter of 2022 highlighted the impact of rising inflation on consumer demand for PCs across Western Europe,” Canalys Research Analyst Kieren Jessop said.

“In this inflationary environment, the consumer/commercial mix is undergoing a significant shift,” Jessop added.

According to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, inflation rates in the eurozone hit an average of approximately 8 per cent during the second quarter.

“Consumer-bound shipments of desktops and notebooks fell by 34 per cent in Q2 as many people were forced to delay buying new devices due to pressure on household budgets,” Jessop explained.

“Conversely, as countries in the region continued their post-Covid recoveries, business demand for high-quality devices to support returns to work and hybrid workstyles remained relatively robust, with non-education commercial PC shipments falling only 3 per cent, while larger organisations that have the capital are still willing and able to refresh their employees’ devices and upgrade their office IT infrastructure,” the analyst concluded.