Blue Star, Godrej, Haier and Daikin line up festive appliance price hikes
Indian consumer-durables brands are raising AC, TV and appliance prices as copper, metals, plastics and freight costs climb. AC prices are set to rise 5–8% from October 1, while refrigerators, washing machines and LED TVs may increase 3–4%; old inventory could temper Diwali pricing before broader post-festival hikes.
What happened
Indian appliance makers including Blue Star, Godrej, Haier and Daikin are raising AC, TV and appliance prices amid higher copper, metals, plastics and freight
Key facts
- AC prices to rise 5-8% from October 1
- Washing machines, refrigerators and LED TVs to rise 3-4%
- Third industry price increase round in 2026
- Blue Star AC and deep-freezer prices already up 5-8%
- Input costs roughly 15% above last festive season; GST benefits estimated at around 10%
- Godrej input costs up 8-10%; planned category hikes 5-7%
- Haier AC prices up 5% from October 1; LED TVs and washing machines up 2-3%; cumulative increase projected at 15% by January
- Copper rose from $8,000-9,000 to $14,500 per metric ton; each AC uses 3-4 kg
- Daikin raised prices 8-10% from September 16; copper up 25-35%
- SPPL plans 7% TV price increase after October and already raised appliance prices 4-5%
- Festive period accounts for 30-40% of annual appliance sales
Why this matters
Rising input and freight costs strengthen the strategic value of scale, localized supply chains and component partnerships, potentially accelerating consolidation among smaller appliance brands.
What to watch
- Copper, aluminium, steel, polymer and ocean-freight price movements through October and November.
- Whether major brands maintain the full 5–8% AC increase or offset it with dealer-funded and bank-funded promotions.
- Diwali sell-through rates, channel inventory days and the pace at which pre-hike inventory is exhausted.
- E-commerce discount depth during the festive sales period versus offline retailer offers.
- Rupee movement and import-cost trends for compressors, panels, chips and other imported components.
- Post-festival demand indicators and early booking trends for the 2025 summer AC season.
- Manufacturers are likely to announce model- or category-specific revisions rather than uniform price increases, preserving advertised festive deals on high-visibility SKUs.
- Retailers and e-commerce platforms may accelerate sales of old inventory before October while increasing exchange bonuses, bank offers and EMI schemes to mask higher list prices.
- Brands may reduce discounts after Diwali, rationalize low-margin SKUs and push premium inverter ACs, larger refrigerators and feature-rich TVs to protect gross margins.
- Dealer ordering could move forward ahead of announced hikes, followed by more cautious replenishment if consumer conversion weakens.
- Competitive intensity may shift toward financing and bundled installation/service offers instead of outright price cuts.