AC, TV and appliance prices set to rise 5-8 per cent ahead of festive season

MUMBAI: The festive season is bringing more than just shopping cheer, with appliance prices set to heat up too. Consumer electronics and appliance makers are preparing to raise prices of air conditioners, televisions, washing machines, refrigerators and other products as manufacturers contend with rising input costs ahead of the festive shopping rush.

According to a PTI report, several companies are planning price increases from 1 October, with hikes expected to range between 5-8 per cent across some categories. The latest round would mark the industry’s third price increase of 2026.

Air conditioners are likely to see some of the steepest increases, with prices expected to rise 5-8 per cent. Some manufacturers are also planning 3-4 per cent increases for refrigerators, washing machines and LED televisions.

Companies including Blue Star, Godrej Appliances, Haier India, Daikin India and Super Plastronics have indicated increases ranging from 4 per cent to 10 per cent. LG and Bosch Home Comfort have also raised AC prices by around 5 per cent.

The latest increases come as manufacturers face higher prices for key materials including copper, aluminium and steel, alongside crude-linked inputs. Freight costs and currency volatility linked to the West Asia crisis are adding to the pressure.

Blue Star managing director B Thiagarajan told PTI that the company had increased prices of air conditioners and deep freezers by 5-8 per cent because of higher commodity costs. He said the move represented the company’s third price increase this year.

Godrej Enterprises Group business head and executive vice president Kamal Nandi said commodity prices had climbed 8-10 per cent since the previous price revision.

Godrej Enterprises Group business head and executive vice president Kamal Nandi said the increase made another industry-wide price revision difficult to avoid, with hikes of 5-7 per cent expected across categories. However, he said the timing could vary, with increases coming between October and November.

Copper has emerged as a particular pressure point for air-conditioner makers.

Haier India is planning to raise room air-conditioner prices by around 5 per cent from 1 October, while prices of products including LED TVs and washing machines are expected to increase by 2-3 per cent.

Haier India president NS Satish told PTI that the company is also considering further increases after Diwali and again in January. If implemented, the successive revisions could take the company’s cumulative price increase to around 15 per cent by January.

Satish said copper prices had climbed sharply, from around $8,000-9,000 per metric tonne last year to about $14,500. An air conditioner uses roughly 3-4 kg of copper, making the commodity a significant component of manufacturing costs.

The timing of the increases is particularly significant because the industry is heading into its biggest shopping window of the year.

The period stretching from Onam through Dussehra and Diwali typically accounts for around 30-40 per cent of annual sales for appliance makers, according to sector reports. Manufacturers therefore face the tricky task of passing on higher costs while trying to preserve consumer demand during a period traditionally associated with discounts and promotional offers.

Daikin India chairman and managing director Kanwaljeet Jawa told PTI that the company had already increased prices by 8-10 per cent from 16 September, citing higher copper and commodity costs as well as a stronger dollar.

Television prices are also expected to move higher. Super Plastronics plans to increase TV prices by around 7 per cent after October, while prices of its other appliances have already risen by 4-5 per cent.

Super Plastronics director Avneet Singh Marwah said higher prices could weigh on festive demand, particularly as consumers generally enter the season expecting attractive discounts and promotional schemes.

With manufacturers balancing rising input costs against one of the year’s most important sales periods, consumers could find that festive offers have to work harder to offset higher sticker prices. For appliance makers, the season will be as much about managing costs as capturing demand.