Blue Whale News, June 29 (Reporter Lu Pengpeng) Recently, extreme heatwaves continue to sweep across Europe, with Germany, the UK, France, etc. continuously breaking high-temperature records, and multiple countries issuing heat warnings.
In this context, Chinese-made air conditioners and other cooling appliances have become hot products locally, with monthly sales exceeding 10,000 orders on e-commerce platforms, and even offline shortages.
Heatwaves above 40 degrees Celsius continue to scorch
European countries issue heat alerts
According to CCTV News, a World Meteorological Organization official said on the 26th that the recent heatwave sweeping Western Europe and breaking multiple temperature records will continue to spread eastward across the entire European continent.
Data shows that France has been hit by heatwaves for several consecutive days, with temperatures in western France rising to 43 degrees Celsius, setting a record for the highest temperature in June in France;
In the UK, high-temperature records were broken for three consecutive days from June 24 to 26, reaching 37.3 degrees Celsius on the 26th. On the 26th, more than a thousand schools in England and Wales were fully or partially closed;
In eastern Germany, the Merken-Drewitz area recorded a temperature of 41.5 degrees Celsius on the 27th, refreshing the highest temperature record. Persistent high temperatures in Germany have damaged highway surfaces in many areas, leading to closures or speed limits on some sections, and railway authorities called on the public to reduce long-distance travel;
Italy is also suffering from extreme heat. The Italian government has issued red heat alerts for 18 cities including Rome, Venice, Florence, and Milan.
Although temperatures have repeatedly hit new highs, the penetration rate of air conditioning in European countries is far lower than in other major economies, with only about 20% of households equipped with cooling devices like air conditioners.
The reasons are multiple. First, historically, European summers, especially in northern Europe, rarely saw prolonged high temperatures, so demand for air conditioning was low. Additionally, to address climate change, Europe has set green development goals, and some European countries have implemented policies to limit air conditioning use. For example, in 2022, Spain introduced regulations requiring air conditioning in public places to be no lower than 27 degrees Celsius.
Under high temperatures, a single AC product sells over 10,000 units per month
Chinese brands break through with cost-effectiveness
Blue Whale reporter interviewed a Chinese expatriate who has lived in Paris for ten years. The expat said that Paris has been experiencing continuous high temperatures recently, 'In previous summers, even when hot, there were rarely such extreme temperatures. Walking on the street feels like melting.'
Under the scorching heat, the demand for home cooling has surged.
According to the expat, in France, ordinary mobile air conditioners are priced between 200 and 500 euros, while split air conditioners range from 500 to 1,200 euros.
A Blue Whale reporter checked Amazon France and found that among bestsellers, the top two are both Midea air conditioners. One model sold over 10,000 units in the past month, priced at 166 euros, and another sold over 7,000 units, priced at 459 euros.
In this heatwave, Chinese brand air conditioners stand out with cost-effectiveness, becoming the first choice for many local consumers.
'Brands like Midea, Haier, and Gree are all available in France. For the same configuration, domestic brands are generally much cheaper than European, American, and Japanese brands,' the expat told Blue Whale reporter.
According to CCTV News, in the first five months of 2026, China's exports of household air conditioners to Western European countries increased by 9.7% year-on-year; among them, mobile AC categories showed prominent growth, with a year-on-year increase of over 70%. Many companies report that in several Western European markets, consumers are queuing to buy, and offline stores face shortages and supply-demand imbalances.
Air conditioners 'affordable to buy, unaffordable to install and use'
Installation fees can be as high as 1,500 euros
Electricity bills increase by 100 euros per month
Notably, buying an air conditioner in Europe is not the hardest part; what really deters consumers is the installation process. The one-time installation cost for a split air conditioner typically ranges from 300 to 1,500 euros, with the highest quote even exceeding the unit price.
Why are installation costs so high?
The local Chinese explained to Blue Whale reporter that most buildings in Paris are decades or even centuries old. The thick walls of old buildings make drilling much more difficult than in modern buildings. Additionally, installing outdoor units for high-rise apartments involves high-altitude work, which is risky. Most apartments also require prior application to the property management and approval from the owners' committee before construction, making the process extremely cumbersome.
Meanwhile, the hourly wage standards for local installation workers are relatively high. With multiple costs combined, split air conditioners have become 'affordable to buy but unaffordable to install' appliances in the region.
Due to high installation difficulty and cost, portable mobile air conditioners have become the first choice for local residents, especially renters, to cool down.
However, to address constraints such as facade protection limits and high installation costs in European countries, Chinese companies have launched customized products.
For example, the 'Midea U-shaped Smart Inverter Window AC' mentioned earlier, which sold over 7,000 units per month, features a U-shaped hollow design that can be fixed into the window gap for use. After installation, the window can still be opened to a limited extent, perfectly avoiding Europe's high labor costs for split AC installation, property management approvals, and the difficulty of drilling into old walls. It is a popular model in overseas rental markets.
Notably, purchasing the air conditioner is only the first step; the subsequent electricity bills are also significant. Based on typical daily use of 6 to 8 hours, the monthly electricity cost for a split AC increases by 30 to 80 euros, while a less efficient mobile AC can add 50 to 100 euros per month.
Consequently, energy efficiency has become a core consideration for local consumers when choosing an air conditioner. On e-commerce platforms, high-efficiency models from Chinese brands also lead in sales.
