Screens are cheaper than physical dials, and these days touch screens are cheaper than buttons. That's why car manufacturers have moved to screen dashboards; they've been trying that since the 80s with LED speed indicators, and I can't recall the last physical odometer I've seen in a car. Cars already have navigation consoles built in these days (whether they're Android Auto/CarPlay or something custom) so using those screens as a place to put cheap software buttons to replace expensive physical ones was a matter of time.

There is no cost advantage to putting a screen in front of a fridge.

There's a financial incentive if they're displaying ads or collecting and selling data.