India’s record-breaking February heat has triggered an early surge in summer product sales, with soft drinks, ice creams, and cooling appliances witnessing a 20-25% year-on-year increase in the March quarter. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that February 2025 was the hottest month in 125 years, prompting an early demand cycle for seasonal products.
In response, manufacturers and retailers have ramped up production and improved supply chain efficiency to meet the heightened demand. Companies such as Coca-Cola, Campa, Mother Dairy, Amul, and PepsiCo have advanced their production schedules, deployed more carts, and launched summer campaigns earlier than usual. Electronics retailers have also increased inventory to prevent stockouts amid heat wave warnings.
Amul’s Managing Director, Jayen Mehta, stated that ice cream sales in January and February were 25% higher than the same period last year, prompting the company to double its production capacity. Beverage brands like Coke, Pepsi, and Campa strategically aligned their marketing campaigns with the Champions Trophy and the upcoming IPL season to capitalize on this early demand.
Cooling appliance manufacturers have reported strong sales growth as well. Retail sales of air conditioners increased by 23-25% year-on-year, while refrigerators saw a 7-8% rise, driven by the early departure of winter. Godrej Enterprises’ appliance division reported increased urgency among consumers to purchase ACs, citing concerns about potential component shortages, including compressors and copper tubes.
Infiniti Retail, which operates the Croma electronics chain, introduced same-day deliveries for ACs and coolers in 28 cities to meet surging demand. Appliance maker Elista noted a 20% increase in pre-bookings compared to last year.
The industry has responded to rising costs by increasing prices for ACs and refrigerators by approximately 2% in recent weeks, following a 3-4% hike in input costs and the depreciating rupee.
Blue Star’s Managing Director, B Thiagarajan, stated that last year, the cooling appliance sector experienced a 57% growth rate, and this year, the company expects a further 25-30% increase due to the prolonged summer forecast.