Voltas unveils ‘India’s Cooling Paradox’ study

The pandemic led to a nation-wide lockdown prompting individuals and companies to reinvent their day-to-day life. The ‘new normal’ saw the rise of social distancing, the work- from- home phenomenon, automation and more. Voltas, India’s undisputed leader in Cooling Products and the No. 1 AC brand from the house of the Tata’s, on observing a shift in consumer buying pattern- from considering an AC as a Summer or festive season requirement to an all year round need, commissioned a nationwide research study.

Sampled across 1200 respondents between the age group of 25-55 years and across 6 major cities- Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Lucknow and Hyderabad, the study reflected some very interesting insights which is contradictory to the general belief with reference to consumption of Room Air conditioners. Influenced by the extreme weather conditions along with unusual circumstances created by Covid-19, it was found that over 33% of the respondents use their Inverter AC throughout the year. Additional insights like 30% of consumers consider anti-bacterial filters or other health benefits, are believed to be a result of the current pandemic, in addition to the rising pollution. This indicates that an AC today is no more just a functional product that facilitates cooling but a lifestyle partner. Infact, study showed that 2 out of every 3 customer would consider purchasing an Inverter AC mainly as it is an upgradation to new technology- going beyond just the function of cooling.

When it comes to cooling needs, the research found that Indian Consumers demand for ACs that have excellent ‘cooling system’ with high ‘star ratings’, ‘well priced’ and that demand ‘very little maintenance’. Given that consumers today are spending most of their time at home, the need to purchase an appliance that provides comfort and convenience but helps save electricity is a priority. In fact, 75% of the respondents would consider purchasing an Inverter AC mainly due to it being less noisy and being energy efficient.

Dissecting the usage pattern further, the study found that on a weekday, more than 70% consumers use Inverter AC for more than 8 hours while over weekends, 60% consumers use Inverter AC for more than 12 hours. Today, Inverter ACs contribute to over 50% of all AC Sales in a year.

As a market leader, Voltas regularly conducts consumer studies to understand the shift in consumer needs/ behavior and subsequently introduce industry innovations. Voltas launched India’s first star rated Air Conditioners in 2007, before it was made mandatory by BEE for the industry. In 2012, Voltas de-seasonalised the AC category with the introduction of India’s first All Weather AC, and in 2016, the company introduced the first All Star Inverter ACs.  

The Voltas 2020 AC product range includes over 87 SKUs, with 52 SKUs in Inverter ACs, 21 in Split ACs and 14 in Window ACs, besides Cassette and Tower ACs. Along with this, Voltas has also launched 10 SKUs in its popular Adjustable AC range.