Air Purifier Market Size & Share Analysis - Trends, Drivers, Competitive Landscape, and Forecasts (2024 - 2030)

Air Purifier Market Growth Drivers and Opportunities

Smart Air Purifiers Are Key Global Trend

• With the advent of the internet of things and various kinds of connected sensors, advanced consumer electronics and electrical appliances are becoming the norm.
• Smart purifiers sense the quality of air around them and adjust their operations accordingly. If the AQI is bad, they increase their purification capability.
• Similarly, if the air quality is not as bad, they decrease their operating efficiency, thus saving a significant amount of energy.
• Moreover, via the internet, they connect to consumers’ smartphones, informing them of the real-time air quality and offering users the ability to control the appliances remotely.
• The trend of energy-efficient home appliances has especially picked since the arrival of the green building concept and implementation of ENERGY STAR and similar energy efficiency programs around the world.
• Certain countries even mandate a minimum energy efficiency rating for different kinds of electrical appliances.
• Many such appliances also inform consumers as well as the company’s technicians of when servicing or part replacement is due.
• Additionally, their predictive maintenance algorithms alert consumer of servicing before a part breaks down, thus helping save unnecessary downtime, which can be critical in spaces such as surgical suites and cleanrooms.

Rising Air Pollution Levels Are Biggest Market Drivers

• The air purifier market is primarily driven by the increasing air pollution levels around the world. With more factories being set up, vehicle sales rising, and cities urbanizing rapidly, air quality is deteriorating fast.
• Currently, China, the U.S., and India are the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitters and, thus, places where air quality concerns are the severest.
• Air pollution not only causes climate change and haze but also numerous respiratory diseases, such as asthma, COPD, and even lung cancer.
• As per the World Health Organization, asthma affects over 250 million people around the world, while the global mortality of COPD stands at over 3 million each year.
• Additionally, among all cancers, lung cancer is the most dangerous, killing more than 1.8 million people in 2022, as per World Cancer Research Fund International.
• The biggest issue is that pollution does not only occur outdoors (ambient pollution) but also indoors, in homes, factories, and other enclosed spaces.
• The WHO says that more than 3 million people die every year due to indoor pollution.
• As a result of the rising awareness of this issue, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, people are installing air purifiers at homes, shopping malls and retail stores, and other open and enclosed spaces.

Advanced Products of Startups Offer Opportunities

• Large numbers of startups have been entering the market with innovative technologies. Few such companies are:
• CleanAir: It is a Canada-based startup that offers the ALVI SMART Air Purifier based on the active polarization technology.
• TEQOYA: It is a French startup that develops air purifiers that diffuse negative ions to purify the air.
• Molekule: It is a U.S.-based startup that builds a proprietary photoelectrochemical oxidation technology to destroy air pollutants and microbes at the molecular level.
• Ionic air purifiers do not contain any filter; thus, the production cost is expected to decline in the near future, along with the emergence of new technologies, thus offering opportunities in product development for manufacturers operating in the market.

Air Purifier Market Analysis

Technology Analysis

The HEPA category accounts for the largest share in the market, of 35%. HEPA air purifiers incorporate HEPA filters that comprise multi-layered meshes made of fine fiberglass threads. These filters are bombarded with high-velocity air, which dries out any virus. They capture the smallest airborne particles found in indoor air, thus helping fight asthma and preventing allergies and other respiratory diseases. In fact, these filters are capable of capturing the COVID-19 virus, which is approximately 0.125 microns in size. This is why HEPA filters are recommended in spaces that need highly pure air, such as hospitals, semiconductor manufacturing plants, and industrial and medical cleanrooms.

The photocatalytic category will likely witness the highest CAGR, of 7.7%, over the forecast period. This technology uses titanium dioxide as a photocatalyst and UV light to break down volatile organic compounds and organic pollutants into harmless particles. The increasing awareness of air pollution is driving people to purchase air purifiers with advanced technologies that offer higher efficiency.

The following technologies have been analyzed in the report:

• HEPA (Largest Category)
• Ionic
• Activated Carbon
• Photocatalytic (Fastest-Growing Category)
• Ultraviolet
• Electrostatic Precipitators
• Others

Application Analysis

In 2024, the residential category accounts for 40% market share, and they are likely to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period, on the basis of application. The growth of this category is majorly attributed to the increasing awareness among individuals on their health, because of the concerns arising due to the polluted air, and growing popularity of smart homes.

The HEPA technology is the most-widely accepted by residential air purifier users due to its high reliability and performance.

Residential portable air purifiers are becoming popular as they are small and lightweight, along with being cost-effective compared to in-duct systems. They also have various features, such as multiple filtration layers, sensors, and smart controls, which makes them the choice of a large proportion of consumers.

The hospital category is expected to grow the fastest, during the forecast period. Pure air is vital as hospitals because they host patients with compromised immune systems, who could easily get infected by airborne bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic brought hospital-acquired infections into the limelight, further compelling healthcare facilities to maintain high air quality levels. Pure air is imperative in critical areas, such as operating rooms and cleanrooms, which operate under stringent disinfection and sterilization mandates.

The report offers insights for the below-mentioned applications:

• Residential (Largest Category)
• Office Spaces
• Hotels
• Hospitals (Fastest-Growing Category)
• Airports
• Educational Institutes
• Shopping Malls
• Gyms & Fitness Centers
• Government Centers
• Others

Geographical Analysis

The Asia-Pacific air purifier market generates approximately 45% of the global revenue, and it will witness the highest CAGR, of 7.5%, over the forecast period. This will be on account of the growing population, rapid urbanization and industrialization, along with the increasing disposable income of individuals. Moreover, India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan are among the countries with the worst air quality, which exceeds the WHO limits by at least ten times, as per the IQAir report of air quality. Moreover, even though China’s air pollution levels dropped in 2021, the country still has significantly polluted air, which raises health concerns among people.

Thus, China leads the market in the region, accounting for around 50% of the market share, being the manufacturing base of a large number of companies in the market. In fact, companies have been massively investing in air purifier R&D and launches. For instance, in 2021, SGS opened a new filtration laboratory in Suzhou, China. The 2,500m2 facility is focused on the filtration testing of compressed air HEPA & ULPA, HVAC & industrial air, and residential air purification technologies.

The following regions and countries have been studied in the report:

• North America
  • U.S. (Larger Country Market)
  • Canada (Faster-Growing Country Market)
• Europe
  • Germany (Largest Country Market)
  • France
  • U.K. (Fastest-Growing Country Market)
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Rest of Europe
• Asia-Pacific (APAC) (Largest and Fastest-Growing Region)
  • China (Largest Country Market)
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • Australia
  • India (Fastest-Growing Country Market)
  • Rest of APAC
• Latin America (LATAM)
  • Brazil (Largest Country Market)
  • Mexico (Fastest-Growing Country Market)
  • Rest of LATAM
• Middle East and Africa (MEA)
  • U.A.E. (Largest Country Market)
  • Saudi Arabia (Fastest-Growing Country Market)
  • South Africa
  • Rest of MEA

Air Purifier Market Share

The market is fragmented because different countries have different minimum limits on indoor air quality. Moreover, with so many different technologies utilized in these products, companies often have the edge in one of those. Additionally, companies use numerous channels to sell their products, including direct institutional sales, factory outlets, electronics stores, e-commerce portals, and their own websites and outlets. In recent years, major players in the market have been launching products with new technology and features, as well as upgrading the existing product portfolios and expanding their geographical operations, to stay competitive.

Air Purifier Market News

• In July 2024, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. launched the SmartThings Energy Flex Connect for residents of New York and California who automate their home appliances. The SmartThings platform was also integrated with new features, including enhanced hub functionality, shareable routines, SmartThings Energy enhancements, and new device control.
• In June 2024, IQAir launched the XE line of air purifiers integrated with the company’s AirVisual air quality app in North America.
• In April 2024, the EPA finalized a more-stringent PM2.5 limit of 9 μg/m3, compared to the earlier 12 μg/m3.