In Bhopal, the demand for coolers has surged, with sales increasing by 60% in just a week, and air conditioners (ACs) are also seeing significant growth. Retail stores have experienced an 80% increase in demand compared to the previous year. Overall, sales of ACs and coolers have risen by nearly 70% to 80%, while refrigerator sales have gone up by 55% to 60% compared to last year.

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The scorching heat over the past two weeks has led to a significant increase in the sales of room coolers, air conditioners, and refrigerators in the city. Residents are opting for cooling devices to combat the intense heat, with room coolers being the most popular choice due to their affordability and lower power consumption compared to ACs. Cooler sales have surged by 60% in the past week.

Air conditioner sales have increased by about 35%. Compared to last year, sales of ACs and coolers have risen by nearly 70% to 80%, and refrigerator sales have climbed by 55% to 60%. Rakesh Sharma, a store manager in Koh-e-Fiza, told Free Press that coolers are in high demand. “We are selling around 25 units daily,” he said. With the monsoon expected in the first week of June, people are hesitant to spend over Rs 40,000 on ACs, opting instead for the more economical coolers, which cost less than half.

A home and electronic appliances store in New Market has sold approximately 50 air conditioners and 100 coolers in the past week, with nearly 70% of these purchases being for residential use. According to the store manager, Mahendra Nema, there are 10 leading AC manufacturers and an equal number of prominent cooler brands.

Home-use ACs typically have a capacity of 1-2 tons and are priced between Rs 30,000 and Rs 70,000, while coolers range from Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000 depending on the brand and size. Refrigerators have a broader price range, starting at Rs 7,000 and going up to Rs 3.5 lakh. Priyanka Kachar, the sales manager of a store in Malviya Nagar, mentioned that Voltas and Croma are the most popular brands, with ACs starting at Rs 25,000 and coolers at Rs 7,000.

She also noted that O General ACs and refrigerators are in the premium segment, catering to select customers.

The scorching heat has driven up sales of ice cream, curd, buttermilk, and cold drinks. Manish, the manager of Top’N Town in New Market, reported that ice cream sales have surged by over 60% in the past week. Shakes, shooters, and cold coffee are also popular, with sales peaking between 9 PM and 10 PM. Additionally, Sanchi Corners have seen increased sales of curd, buttermilk, and shrikhand.