Asian Air‑Conditioner Makers Surge in European Sales Amid Heatwave

Asian manufacturers Samsung Electronics (South Korea), Midea (China) and Mitsubishi Electric (Japan) are reporting double‑digit sales growth in Europe as record heatwaves drive unprecedented demand for air‑conditioners. The companies said Italy, Spain and France are seeing the strongest increases, while e‑commerce sales in Germany rose about 37 % in May and shipments to Spain and France jumped roughly 108 % year‑on‑year. LG Electronics also noted that its Korean factories have been operating at full capacity since April to meet the surge.

The spike comes as Europe, where only about 20 % of households own an air‑conditioner, struggles with extreme temperatures that have forced school closures and strained electricity grids. Installation costs are high—Midea estimates more than $1,137 per unit—making the products expensive for many consumers. The heightened demand highlights a shift in European consumer behaviour and benefits the three Asian‑based brands that dominate the global cooling market.