On July 19, 2026, the British BBC reported that Chinese-made household air conditioners are rapidly spreading in Europe, which has been hit by a record heatwave.

The article stated that in Europe, where the household air conditioner penetration rate had been low due to high environmental awareness and other factors, Chinese-made air conditioners are now selling explosively due to the heatwave. It also reported that unlike common Western-made models, new Chinese products have a significant advantage in that they do not require drilling holes in the walls of homes.

Furthermore, the growth in sales performance is also reflected in the figures of each company, with major player Midea seeing sales in France, Spain, Germany, and the UK increase by over 70% year-on-year, and TCL's sales in France alone grew more than fourfold.

In addition, Gree, one of the world's largest air conditioner manufacturers, also commented on this summer's demand, stating that it is "clearly strong" and "many customers are first-time buyers," adding that "the increasing frequency and duration of summer heatwaves have clearly changed the attitude of consumers (in Europe, who were reluctant to install air conditioners)."

The article then referred to the change in the impression of "Made in China" due to this air conditioner boom. In addition to the People's Daily positioning it in a commentary as "not just commodity trade, but a microcosm of 'Chinese-style empowerment'," buyers have also voiced opinions such as "Both the marketing and design are different from the image of past Chinese products. They are more modern" and "The quality is on par with products we are accustomed to in Europe," rating it as part of "a broader transformation of the image of Chinese tech products."

Furthermore, a French man who said he had previously coped with the heat by splashing water on his face was quoted as saying, "I bought my first air conditioner, probably my first Chinese product. When I enter the room, it feels like I'm in a refrigerator. It's a wonderful change."

The article noted that while European environmental groups and politicians have long opposed air conditioners due to electricity consumption, and there are also concerns that heat emitted outdoors further raises ambient temperatures in densely populated areas, the arrival of heatwaves has led to moves in France and other countries to introduce cooling equipment in schools and community facilities. It also reported that the World Health Organization (WHO) European office recommends "using cooling carefully and flexibly," and touched on the possibility that high air conditioner demand will continue in Europe in the future. (Translation/Editing by Kawajiri)