Sale of air purifiers, masks rise in Delhi as air quality remains in ‘poor’ category

With the city’s air quality remaining in the “poor” category, Delhiites are rushing to stock up on air purifiers and masks, leading to a 60–70 per cent jump in sales, traders said.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 354 on Wednesday, the highest so far this season, up from 351 on Tuesday and 345 on Monday.

With pollution levels worsening since the beginning of October, electronics stores across the city have reported a sharp rise in customer interest and sales of air purifiers.

“At least two to three customers visit us daily to purchase purifiers and we receive around 20-plus phone inquiries every day,” said a salesperson at Chroma Odeon in Connaught Place, adding that their air purifier sales have risen by about 60 to 70 per cent in recent weeks.

Vijendra Mohan, owner of Air Expert India in Indirapuram, said, “Earlier, we would sell around 10 units in a week or maybe months. Now, the number has gone up to nearly 35 to 40 in two to three days.”

“The demand has picked up sharply this week and we are getting more than 150 inquiries every day,” he added.

Mahajan Electronics in Raja Garden reported a similar trend.

“Sales have gone up by around 60 per cent, both through walk-ins and online orders. Since mid-October, customers have been reaching out to us regularly, so we’ve increased our stock to meet the demand,” said a store representative.

Mask sales have also seen an uptick across the city.

Rajeev Kumar, a salesperson at Apollo Pharmacy in Connaught Place, said, “Over the past two weeks, mask sales have increased by about 40 per cent. Most people are still buying regular masks, but the demand has clearly gone up.”

Also Read: Delhi: Anti-pollution measures ramped up as ‘very poor’ AQI days return

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that poor dispersion conditions are likely to persist over the next few days.

Delhi’s air quality showed a marginal improvement on Friday morning, shifting from the “very poor” to “poor” category, with an AQI of 290 recorded at 9 AM.