Air Conditioning Sales in Europe Rise Amid Record Temperatures

Multiple European governments have issued heat warnings as temperatures shatter records during the latest heat wave to hit the continent.

The United Kingdom issued an "Red Extreme Heat Warning" for Wednesday, June 24 and Thursday, June 25. On Thursday, a temperature of 97.5 degrees Fahrenheit (36.7 degrees Celsius) was recorded in Merryfield, Somerset, England, a new record high for the month of June. The temperature broke the previous record, which was set on Wednesday, said the U.K.'s Met Office.

By Friday, temperatures should drop to about about 80 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), said the U.K.'s Met Office.

“Red warnings are reserved for the most severe events and we’re expecting severe and significant impacts from this heatwave, with health impacts likely for many, even beyond those who are normally more vulnerable to the heat. The last time the UK recorded temperatures this high was in July 2022, but on this occasion the heat is expected to be accompanied by high humidity," said Mark Sidaway, the Met Office's deputy chief forecaster, in a June 22 statement.

“As well as very high daytime temperatures, there will be consecutive nights where temperatures do not drop below 20°C, which is called a Tropical Night," he said. "This will make it very hard for people to recover from the daytime heat, exacerbating the heat stress impacts.”

Similar heat warnings were issued by the governments of Switzerland, France, and Germany, where temperatures over 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) have been reported during the heat wave.

Air conditioning sales increase

Unlike in the United States, where air conditioning is fairly ubiquitous, Europe has been much slower to adopt the technology. Only about 20% of homes in all of Europe have air conditioning, compared to 90% of homes in the United States, 68% in Canada, and more than 91% of Japanese homes.

That may be changing as temperatures continue to rise.

Samsung and LG both have reported sales of their portable air conditioning units have increased dramatically throughout Europe.

"With temperatures expected to ​rise further from June onward, we expect sustained demand through the peak cooling season," a representative from Samsung Electronics told Reuters. In Italy, Spain and France, air conditioners have seen "double-digit sales growth" during the first six months of 2026.

Meanwhile, LG Electronics told Reuters that its air conditioner production has been operating at full capacity for months, anticipating "seasonal summer demand across Korea and global markets."