Air purifier demand jumps as toxic smog chokes people

The sale of indoor air purifiers has jumped across India as people try to cope with deteriorating air quality, companies said.

Companies such as Acer, Zeco Aircon, and Phillips have witnessed a spike in sales of air purifiers during the past 15 days. Air purifier makers said most of the demand for air purifiers is in the economy range.

India’s air purifier market is expected to grow about 35% annually to reach about $597 million by 2027, industry experts said.

“Air purifiers are no longer considered a luxury; rather, they are now essential for every household. The rise in pollution has made us realize the importance of air purifiers. We are seeing more uptake in metro cities, where air pollution and other respiratory illnesses are comparatively more. Our product comes with the best technologies starting below ₹10,000. We see demand from couples with young children and families with elderly dependents. We have reported growth of 160% during October,” said Sooraj Balakrishnan, head of marketing at Acer India.

Rising air pollution has left people across India gasping for breath. Medical experts have called it a “medical emergency in the air”. As a result, the Delhi government has ordered immediate school closure across the national capital. Besides, the government has banned the entry of truck traffic into Delhi except for trucks carrying essential commodities. Dr. Animesh Arya, senior consultant and head of the pulmonology and respiratory medicine department at Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, Delhi, said that older people with co-morbidities and children should stay indoors.

“One must avoid exercising and jogging early morning or late evening. At this point, an air purifier could play a vital role in protecting us from toxic air,” he said.

Pooja Baid, head of marketing at Philips Domestic Appliances India, said that demand for air purifiers has increased with the pollution levels rising to dangerous levels.

Electrolux India has launched a new range of air purifiers this year, expecting robust demand this year.

“This season, we expect a considerable uptake among consumers for robust air purifying solutions. We have launched a new range of air purifiers with five-stage purification, a convenient wall mountable feature to save floor space and limited sound emission,” said Sudhir Patil, commercial director of Electrolux India.

“We at O2 Cure have well-equipped technologies certified by various global labs on diseases like tuberculosis, bronchitis, swine flu, etc., that result from inhaling bad air quality. As expected, post-Diwali the AQI levels jumped drastically and we saw a 25% increase in sales,” Kartik Singhal, founder, O2 Cure and MD at Zeco Aircon Ltd.