A MARKET FOR BETTER BREATHING

Air pollution is a major environmental health problem affecting everyone, and with time it has only worsened. According to the World Health Organisation’s ‘World Global Ambient Air Index’, air quality in India is really bad and a major public health issue. Even though the Indian air purification industry is at a very nascent stage, with more than 60% of top polluted cities being in India, the category is bound to grow in leaps.

Air Awareness

What really is giving air to the segment? Ravi Taneja, Business Development Head, Daikin Air Purifiers, says, “Factors leading to the growth of this industry are media-based awareness, efforts by private brands, government statements, aggressive competition and gradual increase in general awareness.” Besides, continuous deterioration in air quality, increasing airborne diseases, etc. are the key factors driving the air purifier market.

The period of October to January records peak sales for air purifiers. Adds Taneja, “Every Indian middle-class household is an actual target audience of air purifiers but the high entry cost and maintenance cost is keeping them away. Therefore, the first buyer segment is from the upper middle-class, upper-class and corporates.” The average ticket size for Daikin air purifiers is around Rs 13,000 and for Eureka Forbes it’s around Rs 14,000.

Widening Opportunities

Air purifiers, initially considered a luxury product, are now emerging as a necessity.“Across the country, the demand for air purifiers has been on the rise with almost 100% month-on-month growth. This has been observed specifically in metros. Delhi-NCR will lead growth this season,” he says.
Furthermore, the segment is also witnessing opportunities in Tier II and III areas of the country. The global air purifiers market is dominated by High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA)-based air purifiers, followed by activated carbon, ion and ozone, and electrostatic precipitator-based air purifiers. And according to Shroff, multi-brand outlets work wonders for a segment like air purifiers besides e-commerce websites “owing to competitive pricing options”.

Moving Forward

While the segment faces many challenges including awareness, high entry cost, absence of latest technology, high maintenance, etc. government and private bodies are taking enough measures to push it. “The segment is slated for phenomenal growth with an economic upswing promising better living standards. Also, air purifier suppliers will use social media platforms to engage with customers,” says Shroff. Furthermore, franchising would take this category to all the corners of India and brands like Daikin are looking forward to expand their franchisee networks.

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