1. Current Market Status of the Air Purifier Industry

(1) Upstream supply market: The upstream supply materials for the air purifier industry mainly include crude steel, copper, and optoelectronic devices. Data show that from 2011 to 2020, China’s crude steel production exhibited an upward trend; in 2021, production declined slightly to 103.279 million tons. In terms of copper production, China’s copper output also showed an overall upward trend from 2011 to 2021, reaching 10.49 million tons in 2021. Since May 2020, monthly production of optoelectronic devices has been fluctuating and rising, peaking at 117.9 billion units in December 2021—the highest level recorded over the past year.

(2) Overall industry market size: Since 2017, the overall air purifier market has experienced a contraction, partly due to declining demand resulting from improvements in air quality, and also because the potential demand for air purifiers has yet to be fully tapped. According to statistical data, in the first half of 2022, China's retail sales of air purifiers reached 2.13 billion yuan, down 24% year-on-year; retail volume totaled 1.29 million units, a 29% decrease compared to the same period last year. After three consecutive years of decline from 2017 to 2020, the air purifier market hit its lowest point in 2021, and is expected to rebound in 2022.

(3) Industry Sub-segments: Compared to 2020, sales of products priced between 0 and 1,000 yuan—the affordable segment of the air purifier market—have increased. Sales of mid-range products (priced between 3,000 and 5,000 yuan or higher) have also seen a slight rise. This indicates that the affordable and mid-range markets enjoy broad coverage, which helps boost product adoption among the general public. Meanwhile, in the high-end market, products have demonstrated enhanced pricing power, with upgrades in functionality and technology, and their share has grown accordingly.

2. Competitive Landscape of the Air Purifier Industry

(1) Regional Competitive Landscape: China's air purifier manufacturers are mainly concentrated in provinces such as Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shandong, with Guangdong having the largest number of enterprises. As a major province for household appliance production, Guangdong is home to numerous renowned appliance manufacturers, including Gree and Midea, making it a key hub for air purifier manufacturing in China. Thanks to geographical and financial advantages, the Yangtze River Delta region has also attracted a cluster of air purifier manufacturers, demonstrating strong competitiveness. In addition, other provinces such as Shandong and Hebei also boast a significant number of air purifier enterprises.

(2) Corporate Competitive Landscape: During the “Double 12” period in 2020, comprehensive home appliance manufacturers such as Philips and Midea remained the leading sellers of air purifiers. Among the top six brands in terms of sales during “Double 12,” Xiaomi’s air purifiers, a newcomer in the home appliance sector, accounted for 30.4% of total sales, placing it first; followed by Blueair, with a 9.6% share of sales, and Philips, ranking third with an 8.6% share.

3. Development Trends in the Air Purifier Industry

(1) Product-driven: Professionalism: Enhances product purification performance, delivering more thorough removal of PM2.5, formaldehyde, microorganisms, bacteria, and odors. Precision: Extends filter lifespan, reduces operating noise, enables quick filter replacement, offers convenient and flexible portability, and ensures precise, visible results. Eco-friendly and Efficient: In line with the national concept of “green appliances,” the intelligent and green sustainable development of home appliances can complement and mutually reinforce each other amid trends toward energy conservation, emission reduction, and consumption upgrading. The air purifier category is poised to further enhance product energy efficiency ratios, presenting significant room for improvement.

(2) Scenario-driven: For personal use: When traveling by subway, high-speed rail, airplane, or other modes of transportation, a personal neck-mounted air purifier ensures healthy travel anytime, anywhere. For office workers who spend long hours sitting at their desks, a compact desktop air purifier can provide one-on-one purification, creating a personal breathing zone.

For a specific space: Car-mounted air purifiers make purification more efficient and address the drawback of car air conditioners not being able to run continuously. Placing an ozone generator in areas with unpleasant odors, such as bathrooms and shoe cabinets, can kill bacteria and effectively eliminate odors and lingering smells. Refrigerator odor eliminators remove unwanted smells from your fridge, ensuring that food doesn’t absorb each other’s flavors and simultaneously inhibiting bacterial growth.

(3) Technology-driven: We look forward to a technological breakthrough that will perfectly solve the formaldehyde removal problem and achieve zero consumable usage.

Trends in the Air Purifier Industry

The above is a comprehensive analysis of the current market situation, competitive landscape, and development trends in the 2022 air purifier industry.