Eid Electronics Boom Drives Surge in Refrigerator, Smart Appliance Sales
Large crowds of women shoppers were seen on the very first day of the Eid holidays at Walton Plaza and Minister showrooms at Bijoy Smarani in the capital, many of them closely examining refrigerators. A similar scene was observed at Vision Emporium. The trend was not limited to Dhaka alone; buyers across divisional and district cities also showed greater interest in locally manufactured refrigerator brands such as Walton, Minister, and Vision over global competitors, largely due to price sensitivity.
As Eid-ul-Adha approaches, the country’s refrigerator and household electronics market has witnessed a sharp rise in demand. Like previous years, the necessity of preserving sacrificial meat for extended periods has significantly boosted refrigerator sales.
Although the Eid holidays officially began on Tuesday, May 26, electronics outlets experienced heavier customer traffic than many shopping complexes. Retailers said locally manufactured refrigerators and air conditioners from domestic brands have increasingly dominated the market over foreign brands such as Samsung, Kelvinator, and Singer. At the same time, sales of home and kitchen appliances including blenders, grinders, fryers, and juicers have also increased. While air conditioner sales initially rose due to intense summer heat, recent rainfall has somewhat slowed demand.
Industry officials stated on Sunday, May 24, that Bangladesh’s refrigerator market is currently valued at more than Tk 120 billion. Driven by the rapid expansion of local brands and growing consumer purchasing power, the industry has been growing annually by around 10 to 20 percent, with approximately 3.3 to 3.5 million refrigerator units sold every year. During Eid seasons, refrigerator demand typically rises by 25 to 30 percent compared to regular periods.
Sector insiders noted that more than 90 percent of refrigerators sold in Bangladesh are now locally manufactured. The market itself is expanding at an annual rate of around 10 percent, and locally produced refrigerators are also being exported abroad. They believe rural Bangladesh could become a major growth market for the industry in the future.
Regarding this year’s positive sales trend, Md. Tahsinul Haque, Chief Business Officer of Walton Refrigerators, said the intense heatwave has boosted sales of both refrigerators and air conditioners, alongside washing machines, blenders, and other home-kitchen appliances.
He said demand is currently highest for large and medium-capacity refrigerators and energy-efficient inverter models. Consumer interest in smart-feature refrigerators is also increasing rapidly.
According to him, customers previously focused mainly on price while purchasing refrigerators, but now they are paying more attention to electricity consumption, food preservation quality, long-term durability, and technological features. This Eid season, AI-powered premium refrigerator models are reportedly seeing the strongest demand.
Md. Tahsinul Haque further stated that nearly 70 percent of Walton’s annual refrigerator sales occur during Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha. He added that a major portion of the company’s investment is currently being directed toward research, innovation, and automation technologies. A large research and innovation center has been established at Walton Hi-Tech Park in Chandra, Gazipur, where engineers from Bangladesh, South Korea, Italy, China, and Taiwan are working together.
He also mentioned that AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things) technology has been integrated into refrigerators based on market research. Walton introduced South Asia’s first French-door refrigerator production and is also manufacturing and marketing the world’s first 8-in-1 convertible side-by-side refrigerator in Bangladesh.
On the other hand, Kamruzzaman Kamal, Marketing Director of PRAN-RFL Group, said customers are increasingly leaning toward affordable, energy-efficient refrigerator technologies. Buyers now prefer models featuring modern designs, inverter technology, digital displays, and digital controls. Based on these preferences, refrigerator sales ahead of Eid-ul-Azha have risen by nearly 20 percent for the company, while Vision refrigerators have experienced sales growth of around 30 percent.
Meanwhile, Monirul Hasan Swapan, Head of Production Engineering at Minister Group, said refrigerator sales usually continue until Chand Raat. Therefore, the company will be able to provide more accurate figures after Eid. However, compared to last year, sales are expected to increase by approximately 10 to 20 percent this season. He added that consumers are favoring refrigerators with newer features because the price difference between conventional and advanced models is relatively small.
Retailers also said customers are increasingly purchasing expensive electronic devices such as refrigerators and air conditioners online instead of visiting physical stores. Attractive offers, card payment options, and installment facilities are encouraging online orders.
Khandaker Tasfin Alam, Executive Director of the Digital Transformation Division at PRAN-RFL Group, said the company has received an overwhelming response for refrigerator and air-conditioner bookings through e-commerce platform Othoba.com. He noted that app-based purchases have recorded 100 percent sales growth compared to last year, while overall refrigerator sales have increased by around 50 percent compared to regular periods.
He added that customers will continue to be able to place online orders during the Eid holidays, although deliveries may take one to two additional days due to limited logistics services.
DBTech/MAR/MUIM/OR
