Chinese air-conditioning manufacturers are rapidly expanding their presence in Europe, with brands including Midea, Haier, Gree, Hisense and TCL now accounting for around 41% of the market.

Their share has risen sharply from 27% in 2023, reflecting growing demand for air conditioning as European summers become hotter, alongside competitive pricing and increasingly sophisticated products.

Midea, Gree and Haier are among the strongest Chinese players, while Hisense and TCL are also building their positions across European markets.

The rapid growth is now raising wider questions about Europe’s dependence on Chinese technology and supply chains.

For these manufacturers, the next challenge may be moving beyond market-share gains and demonstrating a long-term commitment to Europe through local investment, distribution, servicing, spare-parts networks and potentially manufacturing.

With demand for cooling expected to continue rising, air conditioning is emerging as another key battleground between established European appliance manufacturers and China’s increasingly powerful appliance groups.