India Air Purifier market to reach market size of US$ 408.5 million in 2025

The Indian Air Purifier Market is expected to witness significant growth of 38.4% in the forecast period (2019 – 2025) to reach market size of US$ 408.5 Million in 2025 from the current US$ 58.13 Million in 2019.

The Air Purifier Market in India is primarily driven by factors such as Rising Air Pollution Levels, Increasing Health Concerns amongst Consumers and Surging Gross National Income of India and Interests for Health Gadgets.

Definition / Scope
Market Overview
Market Risks
Top Market Opportunities
Market Trends
Industry Challenges
Technology Trends
Pricing Trends
Regulatory Trends
Other Key Market Trends
Market Size and Forecast
Market Outlook
Technology Roadmap
Distribution Chain Analysis
Competitive Landscape
Competitive Factors
Key Market Players
Strategic Conclusion
References
Appendix

Definition / Scope

Air purifiers are referred to all those devices which remove contaminants from the air inside an enclosed area so as to improve the indoor air quality. Air purifiers, which are mainly aimed as a marketing tool for common people to help allergy sufferers and asthmatics, often have consumer applications to eliminate impurities such as carbon dioxide, smoke particles and others.

Air Purifier purifies the air in two common ways: active and passive. The active air purifier releases ions with negative charges into the air. Pollutants in the air bind to the surface of these ions. Passive air purifiers, on the other hand, use air filters to eliminate pollutants, and are more effective than the active air purification process.

Air purifier acts against pollutants of two types: primary and secondary pollutants. Below is a brief insight into the type of air pollutants:

Market Overview

The Indian air purifier market is witnessing vibrant growth due to factors such as increased air pollution, increased awareness among people of air pollution-related diseases such as asthma, diabetes, premature deaths, intellectual disability, and menstrual health among others, coupled with a decline in people’s life expectancy.

According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report, in 2016 air pollution was responsible for 7 million premature deaths around the globe, out of which nearly 600,000 were children under the age of 5. Another report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), air pollution in India is responsible for 30% premature deaths, cancer and mental diseases.

Furthermore, dividing the nation into sub-regions, i.e. North, South, East and West India, the market is anticipated to observe rapid growth in Northern India owing to greater pollution levels in the sub-region.

Region	Number of Deaths caused by Air Pollution according to WHO
South-East Asia	Over 2 Million
Western Pacific Region	Over 2 Million
Eastern Mediterranean Region	500,000
Africa Region	Nearly 1 Million
European Region	500,000
Americas	300,000

It is expected the market will record robust CAGR throughout the forecast period, i.e. 2019-2027.

The Indian air purifier market is segmented by end-users into residential, commercial and other sectors, from which the residential segment is estimated to have the highest market share due to various airborne diseases that can affect children who typically have a weak immune system and are likely to remain susceptible to these diseases.

Market Risks

Fragmented Market

The India Air Purifier market happens to be highly fragmented at present. Several small and medium-sized vendors are attempting to strengthen their business presence by offering affordable aftermarket solutions. As a result, the market has begun to experience intense competition.

As there is low barrier for entry, the new entrants are flocking into the Air Purifier Market backed by Venture Capital Funding the market appears to be fragmented with the presence of a considerable number of companies. The smaller companies lack capability and scale to respond to disruption in the market and as the market is significantly fragmented there is an absence of a true market leader which leaves the players to hold miniscule market share.

Since this market is booming there are more entrants in the market creating more competition with their various unique products, on the other hand, the major players are trying to increase their users. Therefore, the market concentration is low which directly affects the revenue generated from the segment.

Top Market Opportunities

Emergence of Online channels as a sales medium

Internet penetration has opened up new distribution platforms for air purifiers, including Alibaba and Amazon. Both end-users and vendors profit from these new channels as they remove the role of middlemen in the value chain.

For instance, India had 700 million internet users nationwide in 2020. This figure was projected to grow to more than 974 million users by 2025, indicating great market potential for the South Asian country

in internet services. Evidently, in 2019, India was ranked second-largest online market in the world, coming second only to China.

Thus, indicating the potential opportunities for the e-commerce platforms for the reach of the air purifier manufacturers to the end-user.

In addition, a growing number of air purifier manufacturers are currently introducing new models to meet individual consumer demands.

Market Trends

Rising Air Pollution Levels

The degree of air pollution is calculated using a measuring indicator known as the air quality index (AQI). The government agencies use these data to notify the public about current as well as expected air pollution data. As AQI increases, the risks to public health increase accordingly.

AQI	Air Pollution Level	Health Implications
0 to 50	Good	Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk
51 to 100	Moderate	Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution
101 to 150	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups	Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected
151 to 200	Unhealthy	Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects
201 to 300	Very Unhealthy	Health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected
301 to 500	Hazardous	Health alert; everyone may experience more serious health effects

Various states in India have observed rising levels of air pollution, reaching limits of around 999 AQI.

The pollution goes to extreme levels especially during winters, when the nation observes different festivals, mostly Diwali, which symbolizes the spiritual victory of light over darkness.

In addition, many states in the nation observe “jhum cultivation,” also known as slash and burn agriculture, thereby significantly contributing to the rising levels of air pollution.

According to the World Air Quality Index (AQI) project, an extreme level of around 999 AQI was recorded at around 2 pm on 3 November 2019 in Delhi (India).

Additionally, according to The Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) of the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), weighted pollution in Delhi increased from 72.88 units in the year 2012 to 113.9 units in the year 2016.

The concern for rising levels of air pollution across the country, and the awareness of the threats associated with rising levels of AQI among consumers, all of these factors are expected to drive the growth of India’s air purifier market.

Increasing Health Concerns amongst Consumers

According to the Center for Science and Environment (CSE), every third child alone in Delhi (India) have impaired the lungs due to the high levels of pollutants present in the air in the city. The study also added that, due to outdoor and household air pollution combined, life expectancy in India went down 2.6 years.

Increasing customer concerns about health-related illnesses associated with growing levels of air pollution across the nation are expected to significantly foster growth in India’s air purifier market over the forecast period.

Surging Gross National Income of India and Interests for Health Gadgets

According to The World Bank. India’s gross national income (GNI) rose from 66,530.96 constant LCU in 2010 to 103,176.30 constant LCU in 2018, with a growth rate of 1.55%

The nation’s rising gross national income is projected to increase the buying power of the nation’s citizens.

Growing interest in health gadgets coupled with increasing purchasing power, all these factors are anticipated over the forecast period to help the growth of the Indian Air Purifier market.

High Price of Product

The cost of air purifier output is often very high due to the high price of the different air filters used in the products, thereby impacting the cost of the end-product.

The resulting factor could pose as a major barrier restricting the availability of the commodity to the low-income populations. In addition, high maintenance costs of air purifiers are also expected to serve as a barrier to the growth of the India air purifier market.

An air purifier can range between US$ 200 and US$ 2000. Furthermore, the cost of filter change and its maintenance is also very high, because air purifier requires regular filter change which can be in every three months to six months.

The replacement filter cost approximately US$ 100. Huge costs associated with air purifiers are projected to negatively impact market growth.

Lack of Standards

With air pollution becoming a health hazard for urban cities across India, there are very little people can do to immediately address the problem. For those with medical emergencies, buying an air purifier and locking themselves inside a room is the bare minimum they can do to stay safe.

But the issue with purchasing an air purifier in India is that there are no standards in place for quality control.

If there are no standards in place, customers can end up buying air purifiers of inferior quality that may make very little difference.

Low-quality products would quickly flood the market, without any standards. Consumers are going to question the value of air purifiers, and feel cheated.

Standards are required to secure the interests of the consumers and also for the overall positive awareness about air purifiers,

Industry Challenges

Stringent Regulatory norms

As with other health-related appliances, there is controversy surrounding some companies’ claims, especially involving ionic air purifiers. Many air purification systems contain some ozone. some air purifiers contain ozone in excess than recommended levels, which is hazardous to the environment as well as to humans.

Ozone can damage the lungs, causing chest pain, coughing, shortness of breath and irritation in the throat.

It may also intensify chronic respiratory disorders such as asthma and impair the body’s ability to combat breathing infections — even in healthy people. People with asthma and allergy are most vulnerable to the harmful effects of high ozone levels.

For example, rising concentrations of ozone to unsafe levels can increase the risk of asthma attacks.

This is a serious concern because ozone is a criteria air pollutant regulated by the Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulations and Control) Rules mandated by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India.

Due to the below average performance and potential health risks, Consumer Reports has advised against using ozone producing air purifiers. Thus, enforcement of stringent rules by regulatory bodies against the use of such smart air purifiers acts as a challenge for the growth of the segment.

Complex nature of indoor pollutants

Indoor air pollution is one of the most critical environmental threats to human health. According to the National Safety Council, a human spends an average of 90% of their time indoors.

Indoor air quality monitor manufacturers face critical challenges in designing and developing products to identify complex indoor pollutants and control them.

These indoor pollutants can release gases like Sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide, which are difficult to break down with conventional air filters.

Technology Trends

Construction of green buildings and re-use of air filters is a growing trend. The heightened desire for fresh indoor air reinforces this. Moreover, due to the growing awareness about sustainable climate, the air filtration industry is taking required initiatives to address these challenges.

Manufacturers today implement various air filtration techniques that focus on particulate matters, in order to filter out the air pollutants that are recognized globally.

Bio filtration, for example, is one such technique that biologically degrades air contaminants by macrobiotic oxidation process. In addition, recent developments in the high-tech industry have increased demands for clean air, and high functionality is also needed in these filters.

This inevitably leads to a greater awareness of energy savings and the environment that has driven stricter environmental regulations.

Pricing Trends

The Price of Air Purifiers depend on several factors such as the types of filters, the CADR and effective area, along with any additional features that the purifier offers, such as air quality display, mobile apps, smart modes, and extras such as built in humidifiers and so on.

Price of some of the best Air Purifier in India include

Regulatory Trends

There are no standards regulating the usage of air purifiers in India. Lack of Standards is a prick of the thorn for the growth of the segment in India. If there are no standards in place, customers can end up buying air purifiers of inferior quality that may make very little difference.

Low-quality products would quickly flood the market, without any standards. Consumers are going to question the value of air purifiers, and feel cheated. Standards are required to secure the interests of the consumers and also for the overall positive awareness about air purifiers,

Other Key Market Trends

COVID-19 Impact

The COVID-19 outbreak has generated significant remunerative opportunities for manufacturers of air purifiers, with high-performance units, including HEPA and activated carbon technologies, which are highly popular, to minimize the spread of the virus to enclosed spaces.

Premium, high-performance air purifiers can filter out particles up to 1 micron, and the size of the COVID-19 virus is estimated at about 1.2 microns.

As a result, manufacturers have shown confidence in being able to provide, during the outbreak, a solution for indoor environments that will support demand for the near future.

In the wake of COVID-19, the rising perception among consumers about air purification is an opportunity for air purifier retailers to increase their sales. With the addition of various technologies such as High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, photocatalytic purifiers, activated carbon purifiers, and ionic filters, some businesses are the air quality systems output.

In India, air purifier companies were experiencing a small increase in market demand as a precautionary measure against the virus during the initial outbreak and before the implementation of national lockdown and social distancing norms.

Some air purifiers also have anti-bacterial and anti-viral filters for viruses like H1N1 and others which are expected to further propel the market.

Market Size and Forecast

The Indian Air Purifier Market is valued at US$ 58.13 Million in 2019 and is projected to grow at 38.4% in the forecast period (2019 – 2025) to reach US$ 408.5 Million in 2025.

Market Size based on Technology

Depending on technology, the air purifier market is segmented into HEPA, activated carbon, ionic filters, and others.

HEPA technology segment held the largest market share in 2019 and it is projected to grow substantially over the forecast period. It accounted for 56% of the market share and generated revenues to the tune of US$ 32.6 Million; it is poised to grow at 41% to reach US$ 256.2 Million in 2025.

Activated Carbon segment constitutes 16% of the market share and US$ 9.3 Million in market size in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 38.3% to reach US$ 89.57 Million in 2025.

Ionic Filters accounts for 22% of the market share and market size of US$ 12.8 Million in 2019 and is expected to reach US$ 13.1 Million in 2025 growing at 39.5% in the forecast period.

The Other technology segment includes UV light technology, electrostatic precipitators, and ozone generators. This segment totals up to 6% of the market share and market size of US$ 3.5 Million in 2019 and is projected to grow at 39% to reach US$ 25.2 Million in 2025.

Market Size based on Application

Based on application, the market is segmented into commercial, residential, and industrial.

The commercial application segment accounted for 71% of the total market share and generated revenues to the tune of US$ 41.3 Million in 2019 and is expected to grow at 38.5% to reach US$ 291.5 Million in 2025.

Residential segment is the fastest growing and accounts for 21% of the market share on the basis of Application and is poised to reach market size of US$ 91.9 Million in 2025 from US$ 12.2 Million in 2019 growing at a CAGR of 40% in the forecast period (2019 – 2025).

Industrial segment constitutes 8% of the market share and estimated to be worth US$ 4.65 Million in 2019 and is poised to grow at a CAGR of 39.1% to reach US$ 33.7 Million in 2025

Market Size based on Distribution Channel

On the basis of Distribution Channel, the Indian Air Purifier Market is categorized into Offline and Online Distribution Channel.

The Offline distribution Channel accounted for the maximum market share of 65% and US$ 37.8 Million of revenue; it is poised to grow at 37% to reach US$ 249.9 Million in 2025.

Online distribution channel is projected to expand at the fastest pace during the forecast period and it constitutes 35% of the market share and US$ 20.34 Million in 2019; it is expected to reach market size of US$ 153.15 Million in 2025 growing at a healthy CAGR of 40% in the forecast period (2019 – 2025).

Market Outlook

The Market Size of the Indian Air Purifier Market is estimated to be worth US$ 58.13 Million in 2019 and is projected to grow at 38.4% to attain a market size of US$ 408.5 Million in 2025.

The High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) segment accounted for the largest share of sales in 2019 as it is designed to eliminate toxic airborne particulate matter and captures 99.97 percent of particulate matter, even smaller than 0.3 microns.

Air purifiers equipped with HEPA filters can remove most airborne particles that may make the allergy worse and are helpful for people suffering from asthma and allergies.

Online distribution channel is projected to expand at the fastest pace during the forecast period due to the availability of a diversified product portfolio that offers customers more choices along with lower product prices compared to retail stores.

The rapid urbanization would push the sales of air purifiers through this channel as a cheaper and more convenient way of shopping.

The Commercial & Industrial end-user segment accounted for the largest market share in 2018 due to the strong air purifier adoption rate between the commercial and industry sectors.

Residential segment has low penetration but, during the forecast period, it offers substantial opportunities.

Technology Roadmap

The industry players are laying hopes on innovation as a key differentiator for the marketing of their air purifying portfolio. The key players such as Philips, Eureka Forbes, Xiaomi are investing heavily on their Research & Development activities to improve the product portfolio and to cut down costs of production.

They are introducing new age technologies such as photo-catalyst filter and ultra-violet sterilization to improve the quality of air purification in their range of air-purifiers.

The market players are focusing on introducing intelligent air purifiers such as Smart Air Purifiers to capture the majority of the market share. The large investments made by the players on the R&D of new product categories is expected to pay heed to the segment in the form of innovation in the long run.

Distribution Chain Analysis

The direct sales and online channels are the distribution channels adopted by market players in the Air Purifier market.

In 2019, the segment of direct sales held a major market share for Air purifiers of 65% compared to others. This was attributed to higher consumer affinity towards physical stores, as they are perceived to be safe and allow consumers to try the product before buying. In addition, retail stores have the added advantage of instant gratification which further enhances its popularity.

Online channel is trending in the Air Purifier market, with increasing digital literacy and increasing e-commerce awareness among the various end-users. Vendors in the market for portable water filters focus on selling their Technologies through the online distribution channel.

Competitive Landscape

Owing to several new entrants and new business models the air purifier market is highly fragmented. In the future the industry will be dominated by restructuring. The key companies are Philips, Sharp, Eureka Forbes, Daikin, Panasonic, and Blueair, with several new industry entrants entering in each year.

The market is inundated with products of low , medium to superior quality offering varied technologies at prices ranging from US$ 40 to US$ 1,500 per unit. The price decline is expected to be steeper in the coming years as the development of technology in air purifiers remains a focus area for suppliers.

Key Market Developments

In 2019, two smart air purifiers-Aeroguard AP 700 DX and Dr. Aeroguard HPA 500-were introduced by Eureka Forbes. Six stage filtration system is available for the Aeroguard AP 700 X, and Dr. Aeroguard HPA 500 has a nine stage filtration system. Both these air purifiers are activated by Wi-Fi and can be operated through the Smart Life App.

In 2019, Philips India Ltd launched Philips 800 series air purifiers to reduce allergy and asthma symptoms. The air purifier comes with auto purification mode along with a smart sensing technology for tracking any changes in the air quality.

Competitive Factors

All the major market players have invested extensively in R&D initiatives in recent years, which have led to the invention of several innovative products. For instance, in 2019, Philips India launched its Philips 800 series air purifiers in India.

Major players are aiming at expansion, strategic mergers and acquisitions of small and medium scale companies to enhance their product portfolio. Hence, an intense rivalry is anticipated among players in the forthcoming years. For instance, in 2018, Dyson entered the Indian market with the opening of its new store in Delhi, India. The store will provide a range of vacuum cleaners, air purifiers, and hair dryers.

Key Market Players

Eureka Forbes, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Honeywell, Kent RO Systems Ltd., Blueair, Panasonic India, Crusaders, Sharp Business System India Pvt. Ltd., Daikin Airconditioning India Pvt. Ltd. and Dyson Technology India Pvt. Ltd. are some of the key players in the Indian Air Purifier Market.

Eureka Forbes Ltd manufactures pollution control equipment. The Company offers water and air purification systems, vacuum cleaners, health conditioners, security solutions, and accessories. Eureka Forbes serves customers worldwide.

Koninklijke Philips N.V. is a Dutch multinational conglomerate corporation that was founded in Eindhoven. It is a health technology company focused on improving people’s health across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment, and home care. The Company offers products and services in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care.

Honeywell International Inc. is a worldwide technology and manufacturing company. The Company provides aerospace products and services, control, sensing and security technologies for commercial buildings, safety and productivity solutions, specialty chemicals; advanced materials, process technology for refining and petrochemicals, and energy efficient products and solutions.

Kent R O Systems Limited. manufactures water purification equipment. The Company produces and supplies water purifier with reverse osmosis technology, as well as offers air purifiers, vegetable cleaners, water softener, and other products. Kent R O Systems serves customers worldwide.

Blueair Inc provides purification systems. The Company offers air purifiers and filters. Classic 280i, Classic 480i, Classic 680i, Blue Pure 411, Pro M, Pro L, Pro XL are some of the air purifier product ranges offered by blueair.

Panasonic India Pvt. Ltd. manufactures and sells a variety of electronic devices and appliances. The Company offers televisions, digital cameras, DVD players, home audio systems, Blu-Ray players, as well as home, health, and beauty appliances. Panasonic India primarily produces their products for customers in India.

Sharp India Limited is a subsidiary company of SHARP CORPORATION, JAPAN incorporated since July 5, 1985. Company is principally engaged in manufacture of LED Televisions and Air Conditioners. The Company is listed on Bombay Stock Exchange.

Daikin Airconditioning India Private Limited manufactures air conditioning systems. The Company supplies split, cassette, floor standing, ducted, VRV, chiller, air purifier, and roof top products, as well as product care, warranty, and maintenance services. Daikin Airconditioning India serves apartment, office, hotel, institute, and shopping mall sectors worldwide.

Dyson Limited provides home appliances. The Company offers air purifiers, filters, fans, heaters, lighting, hand dryers, vacuum cleaners, and hair stylers. Dyson serves customers worldwide.

Strategic Conclusion

The US$ 59 Million Indian Air Purifier Market is expected to grow at a healthy rate of 38.4% between 2019 and 2025 to attain market size of US$ 408 Million in 2025.

The Market is primarily driven by factors such as Rising Air Pollution Levels, Increasing Health Concerns amongst Consumers and Surging Gross National Income of India and Interests for Health Gadgets.

Challenges such as High Price of Product, Lack of Standards, Stringent Regulatory norms and Complex nature of indoor pollutants restraints the growth of the segment.

Though growth bottlenecks exist the market is expected to witness rapid growth due to the increasing awareness among the people and it is expected to continue to its growth trajectory in the forecast period (2019 – 2025).

References

Appendix

WHO – World Health Organization
CSE – Centre for Science and Environment
AQI – Air Quality Index
AQLI – Air Quality Life Index
EPIC – Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago
GNI – Gross National Income
CADR – Clean Air Delivery Rate