Planning To Buy An AC Or TV Before Diwali? Appliance Prices Set To Rise From October 1

Consumers planning to buy an air conditioner, television, refrigerator or washing machine during the festive season could face higher bills from October 1, as leading appliance and consumer electronics companies prepare another round of price increases.

Prices across several categories are expected to rise by around 5-8 per cent, while air-conditioners could see sharper increases at some brands. Companies including Blue Star, Godrej Appliances, Haier, Daikin and Super Plastronics have announced or confirmed price revisions, with some increases already taking effect. LG and Bosch Home Comfort, which sells Hitachi-branded air-conditioners, have also raised AC prices, according to industry sources.

For consumers, the biggest pressure is expected to come from air-conditioners. Daikin India has already raised AC prices by about 8-10 per cent from September 16, while Haier plans an increase of about 5 per cent from October 1. Blue Star has also indicated increases of 5-8 per cent for ACs and deep freezers.

The latest increase is being driven by a combination of higher copper, aluminium and steel prices, costlier crude derivatives, freight expenses and currency volatility amid continuing global uncertainty linked to the West Asia crisis. Copper is particularly important for air-conditioners, with an average AC using around 3-4 kg of the metal.

Television prices are also under pressure. Super Plastronics, which sells brands such as Thomson, Kodak and Blaupunkt, plans to raise TV prices by around 7 per cent after October, while some industry players have warned that higher freight and component costs could put further pressure on television prices.

This will be the third round of price hikes for the industry in 2026, making the timing particularly significant as consumers enter the peak Dussehra-Diwali buying period. The festive season typically accounts for a substantial share of annual appliance sales.

However, shoppers may not immediately see the full impact at every store. Dealers had stocked products at earlier prices ahead of the festive season, meaning some older inventory could remain available for several weeks before the higher prices fully reach retail counters.

The price increases therefore create a balancing act for manufacturers: they need to recover rising input costs without weakening demand at a time when consumers are traditionally looking for discounts and festive offers.