DELHI: Delhi's air has been a subject of constant discussion ever since reports of its air pollution levels being among the worst in the world emerged earlier this year. The NGT's ultimatums to the government, banning older vehicles and regulating entry of trucks in the capital haven't yielded results because of the problems involved in implementing such changes, but even small steps like not burning dry leaves and garbage are not being followed in most parts of the capital. While Delhiites can't control most of these factors, one thing they are trying to take under control is the air they breathe at home. Enquiries about air purifiers have more than doubled, even as they stay out of the reach of the middle class because of their cost. Sellers say that 70% of the current customers are expats (the US embassy and the EU have asked diplomats to install air purifiers at home), but add that just like water purifiers, which were seen as a luxury in the past but are now a necessity, the air purifier market is at the cusp of a boom.
Queries have doubled
"After the air pollution reports, there was a spike in people making enquiries. Jo log fridge ya AC khareedne ke liye aate hain, woh bhi air purifier ke baare mein poochhte hain. So, we are expecting sales to increase in the next six-seven months or one year," says Jalaj Verma, a salesperson.
Harinder Arora, a staff member at an appliances showroom tells us, "A few companies have even engaged medical professionals to push their sales since Delhi's air and its impact on health is such a topic of debate right now. We have seen many queries, par log poochh kar chale jate hain, laut kar khareedne nahin aate. An effective air purifier will cost around Rs30-40,000 or even higher, which is why sales are not hitting the roof at present."
Aditya Sharma, salesperson of a leading air purifier brand, explains, "Last year, the National Green Tribunal ordered the installation of air filters and purifiers around schools, colleges, markets and parks. At that time, we expected a rise in sales, but other than a few high-end schools, neither government departments nor any authorities have ordered air purifiers. Many Delhi schools did call us to enquire about rates, though, but no bulk orders have been placed yet. But looking at the present scenario, health concerns will push sales of air purifiers. Another category of customers is those who want to order ACs which come with pollutant-free mechanisms."
Currently, expats are the biggest customers
Showroom owners say that orders for air purifiers in Delhi come mostly from expats and affluent residents. Aditya Sahni, manager of a home appliances store in Delhi, tells us, "Around 70%-80% of the sale of air purifiers is to the capital's expats. An air purifier company sold around 2,000 units to the US Embassy last year. However, not all Embassies give bulk orders. We have had individual expat customers who order air purifiers, but not many locals." Avin Acharya, a staff member at an appliances showroom, adds, "Companies like Philips, which entered the air purifier market just last year, have seen 100% success, and apart from that, brands like Kent, Eureka Forbes, Daikin India, Ken Research, etc, are the major players. Other than expats, it's the affluent class which orders more. Due to their high prices, air purifiers are out of the reach of the common man."
Alarming reports will change scenario
Sellers believe that although due to high prices, the air purifier market is not currently hitting the middle class client base, cheaper deals in the future will bring more customers if the present discourse continues. Shailesh Sinha, a showroom manager, argues, "There was a time when people used to consider water purifiers a luxury, but now, they are a basic necessity. The same will happen with air purifiers. We are in the industry for the last 10-15 years and the increasing queries indicate that even though the air purifier segment is at a nascent stage, it will grow."
Sehaj Desai, a manager at a home appliances store, says, "The range of air purifiers in the market is built for maintaining indoor air quality in residential spaces, and is targeted at consumers who suffer from allergies. Till now, only health conscious people ordered air purifiers. But the air purifier segment has been growing at 45-50% in recent years and is expected to grow at 60-65% in the coming years. The media attention has created panic among people."
To buy or not to buy?
Most people are still weighing the cost involved versus the said health benefits of such appliances. Anisha Garg, a housewife who lives in Mayur Vihar, tells us, "We bought an air purifier for `35,000 last year because my mother-in-law was suffering from asthma, after doctors suggested that we buy it. It definitely helped. Being a resident of a city like Delhi, you can't afford to ignore the issue of polluted air, so we are planning to buy purifiers for our other rooms also. We'll buy them online to get some discounts, and have kept a budget of about `50,000-60,000 for two devices. It's an investment which will give long term results."
However, Mayank Sharma, a bank employee who lives in Vasant Kunj, tells us that even though Delhi's air pollution is a matter of worry, there's not much he can do. "There are air purifiers in market even in the range of `8-10,000, but they're not any good. Only high-end purifiers are effective. I have asked around in a number of shops and the most effective air purifiers are so expensive that I decided to not buy any, at least for now. The cheaper ones don't do much unless you have a room which is so tightly sealed that it can block outdoor air."
