Consumer durables market hit as containers pile-up at Shanghai port

Consumer durable companies in India have stocked up on components, but inventory could start to dry-up from mid-May onwards.

India’s consumer durables market has been affected because the supply of components used in manufacturing goods ranging from television panels to refrigerators and washing-machines is stuck in Shanghai owing to the Covid-induced lockdown there.

White goods have 25-75 per cent of their components coming from China, with air-conditioners being the most dependent on them with 75 per cent. Consumer durables companies here have stocked up on components, but inventories could start to dry up from mid-May and the immediate fallout of it could be that some models may go out of stock and the situation could become even more severe in