Asia’s air conditioner makers are enjoying a boom in sales as Europe sweats through record-breaking temperatures, with Samsung Electronics, China’s Midea and Japan’s Mitsubishi Electric reporting surging demand across the continent in late June 2026.
Air conditioning is common in major Asian cities but rare in Europe, where people are struggling to stay cool as searing heat claims lives, disrupts power supplies and shuts schools. Seeking respite from the sizzling weather, consumers and companies across Europe are snapping up portable and fixed air conditioners as countries grapple with unprecedented heat.
“With temperatures expected to rise further from June onward, we expect sustained demand through the peak cooling season,” Samsung Electronics said in a statement to Reuters. The company reported that key markets, including Italy, Spain and France, generated double-digit sales growth in the first half of 2026.
Sales through German e-commerce channels rose about 37% in May compared to a year earlier, while shipments in Spain and France jumped 108% from a year earlier, according to Reuters reporting on statements from Midea. The Chinese manufacturer experienced particularly strong demand for its PortaSplit portable air conditioner, which sold out in some channels with second-hand prices exceeding the cost of new units.
“A heatwave in the final two weeks of May significantly boosted sales, particularly for the PortaSplit air conditioner, which sold out in some channels,” Midea said. Rival LG Electronics reported that air-conditioner production lines at one of its South Korean facilities had been operating at full capacity since April ahead of “seasonal summer demand across Korea and global markets.”
Japan’s Mitsubishi Electric also reported a surge in demand from Europe. “In Europe, sales of air conditioners have been strong, particularly in France, Spain, the U.K., and Germany, which were hit by heat waves,” the company told Reuters.
The massive demand for cooling devices underscores a shift in European consumer behavior as countries grapple with profound climate changes. However, older European buildings make air-conditioner installation costly and complicated, often requiring lengthy wait times for fitting. Midea said the cost of installing an air conditioner in Europe could exceed €1,000 ($1,137), putting it out of reach for many households.
According to the International Energy Agency, total ownership of air conditioning units in Europe stands at around 20%, far below the nearly 90% penetration rate in the United States. This gap has created a market opportunity for manufacturers as Europeans confront the reality of warming summers.
The surge in demand has also lifted stock prices for cooling-related companies. Milan-listed Ariston, which manufactures energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, rose 2.3% on June 25, 2026, on track for its third consecutive positive session. French construction materials company Saint-Gobain, which designs and supplies components for heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, rose 2.2% on the same day, extending gains of more than 3% from the previous session.
Sweden’s NIBE Industrier, which produces air and ground source heat pumps and other climate control equipment, was trading 0.7% higher on June 25, extending gains of 3.7% from the previous session. Beijer Ref, a world-leading wholesaler of cooling and HVAC equipment, advanced 1.3%, having climbed nearly 5% on June 24, according to CNBC reporting.
The World Meteorological Organization has noted that Europe is warming at more than twice the global average. This accelerating climate trend, combined with the continent’s aging building infrastructure and low AC adoption, suggests that demand for air conditioning will remain elevated as heatwaves become more frequent and intense.
Sources
- Reuters — Reporting on Asian air-conditioner makers’ sales surge, specific growth figures for Germany, Spain, and France, installation costs, and European AC penetration rates
- CNN — Reporting on Midea’s PortaSplit sales, second-hand pricing, and statements from Samsung, LG, and Mitsubishi Electric
- CNBC — Stock price movements for Ariston, Saint-Gobain, NIBE Industrier, and Beijer Ref on June 25-26, 2026
