Heatwave drives historic sales of fans and air conditioners in France

France experienced an unprecedented surge in sales of fans and air conditioners in late June, driven by a significant heatwave and concerns about future heat episodes. Between June 15 and June 28, over 1.9 million cooling devices were sold, with a staggering 1 million units sold in just the week of June 21-28, according to market research firm NielsenIQ.

NielsenIQ described the demand as a "historic explosion," noting that sales volumes for fans were up 66% and for air conditioners up 34% compared to the same period last year. These two weeks alone accounted for 59% of all fan sales and 57% of air conditioner sales recorded in France for 2026 up to that point.

The intense demand resulted in widespread stock shortages across many retail outlets and contributed to price hikes. Retailers like Fnac Darty reported selling 10,000 fans daily, while Carrefour's CEO mentioned selling 200,000 air conditioners in one week, nearly half of their typical annual sales. Lidl also saw its special promotion of 200,000 cooling units quickly sell out amidst chaotic scenes.