A heat wave sweeping Europe has driven a sharp surge in sales of Chinese-made air conditioners and fans, with companies including Alibaba and Midea reporting strong order growth.
Europe is experiencing extreme heat, with French authorities reporting about 1,000 additional deaths since Wednesday. Consumers are turning to portable air conditioners that require no drilling or permanent installation to cope with the temperatures.
Data from Alibaba’s AliExpress showed that warehouse inventory for a 2.35-kilowatt Midea model in Germany was wiped out by Thursday. Fan sales in Spain rose 94 per cent from June 17 to 23 compared with the same period in May, while Italy saw a 100 per cent month-on-month jump in cooling appliances.
China’s air conditioner exports to France, the Netherlands and Belgium more than doubled year on year in the first five months of 2026, with strong double-digit growth to Spain, Portugal and Germany. Brands including Midea and Gree recorded higher sales in major European markets.
On Alibaba.com, air conditioner orders in Spain nearly doubled year on year in June, while wholesale fan orders jumped 378 per cent in Sweden and 114 per cent in Belgium. Distributors reported that Portasplit inventory has nearly run out, with installation appointments booked through the end of August.
