Growing concerns over pollution levels in north India have provided an opportunity for the air purifier market. The segment is witnessing a boom; manufacturers, catering to the increased demand after Diwali, are busy lining up newer versions of their products. According to market analysts, the air purifier market, pegged at $49 million, has witnessed double-digit growth in sales during October.
And the demand doesn’t seem to be going down, especially when there is a rise in expenditure on health and wellness products, coupled with growing awareness on the hazardous effects of air pollution. Consulting firm TechSci Research, in a report, said the air purifier market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 28 per cent to reach over $220 million by 2024. The demand has surged recently, not only from metros, but also from tier 1 and 2 cities in Delhi, Rajasthan and UP, analysts say.
According to the World Health Organisation, Kanpur, Faridabad, Gaya, Varanasi and Patna are among the Indian cities that would be worst-affected by the highest Particulate Matter levels. “In addition, growing technological advancements, rising incidences of respiratory diseases, surging disposable incomes and growing urban population are expected to boost the demand for air purifiers in the country during the forecast period. Other factors that would have a positive impact on the air purifier market are aggressive marketing strategies and demand for premium products,” the TechSci Research report said.
Key players such as Eureka Forbes, Philips, Honeywell, Kent RO Systems, Panasonic and Sharp are currently tapping the market via both retail and e-commerce channels. Havells, which had quit sale of air purifiers a few years ago, is planning a comeback in India. Chinese consumer tech brand Xiaomi too had announced its foray into the air purifier market last year, with devices that were priced at `2,999. The brand has now launched an updated version of its smart air purifier, Mi Air Purifier 3, available for `9,999 on Amazon and Flipkart.
Notably, the brands are betting big not only on home and office air purifiers, but also on car air sanitisers. PerSapien Innovations — a company promoted by a team of researchers, clinicians, engineers and designers from Stanford University, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Indian Institutes of Technology and Singapore University — has introduced Airlens Car Air Sanitizer, a method of purifying air in cars in two minutes, based on Active Molecular Technology. A WHO study says one life is lost every 23 seconds due to air pollution in India.