Sales of AC units in Europe are rising as record temperatures push consumers and companies to buy cooling units from Asian manufacturers, Reuters reported.
Samsung Electronics said Italy, Spain and France recorded double-digit growth in air-conditioner sales in the first half of this year.
The South Korean company said it expected sustained demand through the peak cooling season as temperatures rise from June onward.
LG Electronics said production lines at one South Korean facility had operated at full capacity since April. China’s Midea said a late-May heatwave boosted sales of its PortaSplit air conditioner.
Midea said the product sold out in some channels and second-hand prices exceeded the cost of new units.
The company said German e-commerce sales rose about 37% year over year in May. It said shipments in Spain and France jumped 108% year over year.
Read: Europe Heatwave Cuts Power to Thousands in France
Japan’s Mitsubishi Electric said air-conditioner sales were strong in France, Spain, the United Kingdom and Germany.
The International Energy Agency says air-conditioner ownership in Europe is around 20%. Midea said installation of an air conditioner in Europe can cost more than USD 1,137.
The World Meteorological Organisation has said Europe is warming at more than twice the global average.
