Business EconomyPosted at: Sep 28 2026 6:01PM


ACs, TVs and Fridges to get costlier from Oct ahead of festive season

New Delhi, Sep 28 (UNI) Consumers could face higher prices for air conditioners, televisions, refrigerators, washing machines and other consumer electronics as manufacturers are expected to implement another round of price increases from October, just ahead of the festive shopping season.
Air conditioner prices are expected to increase by around 5-8pc from October 1, while some manufacturers are reportedly considering price hikes of around 3-4pc for televisions, refrigerators and washing machines. The latest revisions would come at a time when demand for consumer durables typically picks up during the festive period.
This increase would mark the third broad round of price revisions for consumer durables this year. The first came around January-February, followed by another round in late March and early April.
A similar price revision is expected in the smartphone segment. As per Counterpoint Research, smartphone retail prices in India have risen 21 per cent on average this year, the highest increase among the major markets it tracks.
For air-conditioner manufacturers, higher raw material and freight expenses are among the key factors putting pressure on input costs. Currency fluctuations and continuing geopolitical uncertainty linked to the West Asia crisis have added to the cost burden.
Copper has emerged as a particular pressure point for AC makers. An air conditioner typically requires around 3-4 kg of copper, and copper prices have climbed sharply to around USD 14,500 per tonne, compared with roughly USD 8,000-9,000 last year.
The increase in copper prices comes amid broader tightness in industrial metals. The International Energy Agency has reported that prices of aluminium, copper and tin rose by about a third between January 2025 and April 2026. Copper also touched record levels during the period amid supply constraints and sustained demand.
The Indian rupee has also remained under pressure this year, adding another layer of cost for companies that depend on imported components.
The rupee has weakened by around 6.6pc against the US dollar this year, with higher global interest rates, elevated oil prices and geopolitical risks weighing on the currency.
On Monday, the rupee was trading at around Rs 95.95 per dollar, compared with approximately Rs 89.97 on January 1.
A weaker domestic currency makes imported components more expensive in rupee terms. The impact on individual manufacturers, however, depends on factors such as their sourcing mix, currency hedging and the proportion of imported components used in their products.
For instance, if a component costs USD 100, an increase in the rupee-dollar exchange rate means manufacturers have to spend more rupees to purchase the same component.
This can eventually put pressure on the price of finished products, particularly in electronics where imported components form a significant part of the supply chain.
The smartphone market is also facing pricing pressure. Counterpoint Research estimates that average smartphone retail prices in India have increased 21pc this year, making India the market with the highest increase among the major markets tracked by the research firm.
Smartphones depend on a wide range of globally sourced components, including memory and storage chips, processors, display panels, camera modules and batteries. Supply conditions for some of these components have tightened as demand from artificial intelligence infrastructure continues to expand.
AI servers and data centres require large quantities of memory and related components, increasing competition for production capacity that is also used to supply consumer electronics. This has added to the pressure on smartphone manufacturers and could keep device prices elevated.
The latest price revisions come just before the key festive shopping period, when demand for televisions, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners and smartphones generally receives a boost. UNI VK SAS AAB
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Tags: #ACs# TVs and Fridges to get costlier from Oct ahead of festive season
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