If you are planning to shop in the upcoming festive sale season, know that shopping for televisions and appliances could get more expensive. Some consumer electronics and appliance makers have signaled a price hike from October 1. For instance, air conditioners are expected to become 5-8% costlier, while some washing machines, refrigerators and LED TVs are likely to see increases of around 3-4%. This is because of rising component costs and freight charges. The latest increase, reported by PTI, comes just before the peak Navratri-Diwali shopping period and would mark the industry’s third round of price hikes in 2026.
However, note that the brands may not apply the hike across their portfolio of products in the country. LG Electronics India has clarified that its upcoming price revision applies only to air-conditioners. The company said it will increase AC prices by 5-7% from October 1, 2026, and that no decision has been taken on revising the prices of any other LG products as of now.
Air-conditioners are expected to see the sharpest and most widespread increases. Companies including Blue Star, Godrej Appliances, Haier and Daikin have confirmed price increases, while other manufacturers are still evaluating the effect of higher input costs. The expected increase for ACs is reportedly around 5-8%.
Blue Star managing director B Thiagarajan said prices of ACs and deep freezers had already increased by 5-8% because of higher commodity costs. He said copper, steel and plastics had all become more expensive, adding that this was the third price increase undertaken by the company this year.
Godrej Enterprises Group business head and executive vice president Kamal Nandi said another industry-wide increase had become necessary after commodity prices rose 8-10% since the previous revision. ‘Price hikes of 5-7 per cent across categories will happen. The timing may differ from brand to brand, with some implementing it from October and others from November, but it has to happen,’ Nandi told PTI.
Haier India president NS Satish said the company plans to increase room air-conditioner prices by around 5% from October 1. The company is also considering further increases after Diwali and again in January if input costs remain high. Mr. Satish told PTI that, ‘If we avoid taking price hikes, we will lose money. If we increase prices, sales may be slightly impacted, but there is no choice.’
Daikin has already moved ahead of the October 1 increases. Daikin Airconditioning India chairman and managing director Kanwaljeet Jawa said the company raised prices by 8-10% from September 16. He attributed the increase to higher copper prices, a stronger dollar and rising commodity costs.
LG confirms AC hike, but no increase for other products. In a media statement, the company said, ‘LG Electronics India will be revising AC prices upwards by 5-7% from 1 October 2026 onwards. No decision has been taken with regard to the revision of prices of any other LG products as of now.‘
This means consumers buying other LG categories, including televisions, refrigerators and washing machines, should not assume that their prices are being increased on October 1. The company has not announced a price revision for those products at present.
The price hike is not limited to air-conditioners. Some manufacturers are also raising prices of LED TVs, refrigerators and washing machines by around 3-4%, although the timing and size of the increase will vary by brand and category.
Super Plastronics (SPPL), which manufactures and markets Thomson, Kodak and Blaupunkt TVs in India, plans to increase television prices by around 7% after October. The company has already increased prices of other appliances by around 4-5%, according to PTI. SPPL director Avneet Singh Marwah said higher prices could put pressure on festive demand because consumers typically expect discounts and promotional offers during this period.
Videotex director Arjun Bajaj said freight costs and supply chain disruptions could create a higher pricing benchmark after Diwali. He said smaller television sizes could see increases of up to 20%, while larger screens could rise by up to 10%, depending on screen size. These are company-level estimates rather than an industry-wide confirmed hike.
Panasonic Life Solutions India, meanwhile, has not yet confirmed a price increase. Its head of product marketing and planning for ACs, Abhishek Verma, said the company is evaluating market conditions because of continued cost pressure.
The latest increases are largely linked to the cost of raw materials and logistics. Copper is particularly important for the AC industry because it is used in components such as refrigerant tubing and heat exchangers. Steel and aluminium are also widely used in appliances, while plastics are affected by crude-linked input costs.
Manufacturers are also dealing with higher freight expenses and currency volatility. Several executives have linked the latest pressure to wider geopolitical instability and higher commodity prices.
The scale of the increase varies by product because manufacturers have different cost structures and levels of exposure to imported components and raw materials. This is why a 5-8% industry estimate for ACs does not automatically mean every model from every brand will rise by the same amount.
Consumers may not see the entire increase immediately. Manufacturers and dealers had already built inventory ahead of the festive season, including products purchased through pre-buying schemes in August and September.
Godrej’s Kamal Nandi said distribution pipelines could last for roughly one to one-and-a-half months. That means some retailers may continue selling products bought at older prices through much of the Diwali period. Mr Nandi told PTI that ‘Diwali should largely get covered with old-price inventory. Post-Diwali, the new prices will certainly take effect.’
For buyers, this means the price displayed online or in a store may not immediately reflect the manufacturer’s latest price revision. Factors like discounts, existing stock and retailer inventory could temporarily offset part of the increase.
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