Appliance brands flag 5–8% price hikes as input costs rise ahead of Diwali

AC, TV and white-goods makers including Blue Star, Godrej, Haier and Daikin are raising prices amid higher copper, metal, freight and currency costs. Dealer inventory bought earlier may keep festive-season retail prices cushioned for roughly one to one-and-a-half months.

— Source publishedSun, 27 Sept, 2026, 13:48 IST·First seen Sun, 27 Sept, 2026, 14:39 IST·Source NDTV Profit

What happened

Blue Star · Indian appliance makers are raising AC, TV and white-goods prices ahead of Diwali as copper, metals, freight and currency costs rise. Brands expect

Key facts

  • 5-8% appliance price hikes effective October 1
  • Blue Star AC and deep-freezer prices up 5-8%
  • Godrej expects 5-7% category-wide hikes
  • Haier RAC prices to rise about 5% from October 1; 2-3% in other categories
  • Daikin raised prices 8-10% from September 16

What changed

Indian appliance makers are raising AC, TV and white-goods prices ahead of Diwali as copper, metals, freight and currency costs rise. Brands expect 5-8% hikes, though pre-bought dealer inventory may cushion consumers through much of the festive season.

Why this matters

Use the dealer-inventory buffer to protect Diwali conversion for 4–6 weeks, then phase through targeted increases while prioritizing promotions on price-sensitive TV and entry-level appliance SKUs.

What to watch

  • Timing and magnitude of revised dealer price lists versus actual consumer-facing price changes after existing inventory clears.
  • Diwali pre-booking, footfall and sell-through data in AC, refrigerator, washing machine and television categories.
  • Copper, aluminium, steel, crude/freight rates and INR movement against the USD; further depreciation would raise odds of another pricing round.
  • Intensity of bank cashback, no-cost EMI, exchange and retailer-funded discounting.
  • Channel inventory days and dealer reorder patterns, especially whether dealers stock up before revised prices.