Air purifier demand increases by 30-40% in India due to bad air | Media Pyro

Sales of indoor air purifiers have increased by 30-40% across India in light of declining air pollution, according to spokespersons of various companies that sell the product.

Companies like Acer, Zeco Aircon, and Phillips among others have seen a sudden increase in the sales of air purifiers during the 15 days which is double the number last year during this period.

Air purifier firms say that due to the high AQI levels across major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai; most people are demanding air purifiers in the economy range, and the manufacturers expect the sales to pick up in the coming days.

According to the industry experts, the Indian air purifier market is expected to register a CAGR of 34.6% and reach around $597.11 million by 2027.

“Air purifiers are no longer considered a luxury item; instead, they are now essential for every family. The rise in pollution has made us realize the importance of air purifiers. More people are accepting more in metros cities air pollution and other respiratory ailments are much more. Our product comes with the best technologies starting below Rs 10,000. We are seeing demand for couples with young children and families with elderly dependents. Air purifiers are now a basic necessity as it protects from pollution, respiratory diseases, allergens etc. Growth is 160% YoY during the month of October 22,” Sooraj Balakrishnan, Head of Marketing, Acer India told Mint.

With increasing air pollution leaving the national capital and across north India, people are struggling to breathe. Medical experts have called it a “medical emergency in the air” as the Central Government takes drastic measures to control the crisis. Meanwhile, the Delhi government has ordered an immediate school closure across the national Capitals. In addition, the government has banned truck traffic from entering Delhi except for trucks carrying essential commodities.

“During the festive season, the market for air purifiers has grown rapidly. Since indoor air is 100 times more polluted than outdoor air, air purification solutions are urgently needed. We at O2 Cure have well-equipped technologies certified by various global laboratories for diseases like Tuberculosis, Bronchitis, Swine Flu, etc. which results from inhaling poor air quality. As expected, the AQI levels increased significantly after Diwali and we saw a 25% increase in sales,” Kartik Singhal, Founder, O2 Cure & Managing Director at Zeco Aircon Limited.

The Air Quality Index (AQI-PM2.5) in the national capital at 7am was at 450 in a severe category which doctors say is equivalent to smoking more than 18 cigarettes a day. Mumbai, Pune and Ahmedabad show ‘moderate’ air quality on Friday.

According to the System for Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), soot emissions from a fire count of 3068 contribute 30% to PM2.5 in Delhi.

“After Diwali, sales of air purifiers have definitely increased by 30-40%. Every day, we are getting huge inquiries for air purifiers offline and online. We have at least 26 outlets in India and each store is selling around 5-6 air purifiers per day. I am sure our competitors must also be getting the similar questions about the product,” said Roopa Modi, Manager at Vijay Sales based in Saket, New Delhi.

Dr Animesh Arya, Sr Consultant and HOD, Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine at Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, Delhi said that the elderly, people with co-morbidities and children should stay indoors. “One must avoid exercises and jogging early in the morning or late at night. At this point an air purifier could play a vital role in protecting from toxic air. Air purifiers work primarily through air sanitation, including pollutants, allergens and venoms,” he said.

After Diwali, we are seeing a rise of up to 30% in air purifier sales. This was not the case in October. We have a good range of air purifiers and mostly people are buying the product for their family members who are suffering from respiratory ailments. We are selling 20-30 products in a day including filters and machine, said Prath Ahuja of Ahujason Electronics at Khan Market which deals in Dyson Air purifiers.

Meanwhile, Pooja Baid, Marketing Head, Philips Domestic Appliances India said that the demand for air purifiers has increased in the last few days.

“This season, we expect strong consumer acceptance of strong air purification solutions. We have launched a new range of air purifiers with 5-stage purification, convenient wall-mountable feature to save floor space and limited sound emission,” said Sudhir Patil, Commercial Director, Electrolux India.