India's Appliance Makers Hike Prices Ahead of Festive Season

Appliance manufacturers in India have raised prices of air conditioners and televisions by up to 8% ahead of the festive season, marking the third round of price revisions this year. Despite higher input costs, companies expect double-digit sales growth during the festive period.

The latest price increase is attributed to rising manufacturing and logistics costs, including higher prices of key raw materials such as copper, aluminium, and steel. Crude-linked derivatives have also become more expensive, adding to production costs for several categories of consumer appliances.

Manufacturers are balancing the need to protect margins with the risk that higher retail prices could affect consumer demand during the festive period. The appliance industry's expectation of double-digit festive growth indicates that manufacturers remain confident about consumer demand despite inflationary pressures.