European wholesalers and retailers are actively repositioning inventory for summer 2026, diverging from historical patterns.
New B2B procurement data from Alibaba.com reveals that across Europe, portable fans are significantly outpacing air conditioners in order volume growth. The data indicates a shift in how European businesses are preparing for warmer summers, driven by practical constraints rather than consumer preference alone.
Comparing June 2026 order volumes against an already strong June 2025 baseline, the data highlights current trends shaping the European summer retail landscape:
Fans now more popular than AC in most major European markets
In six out of eight tracked European markets, fan orders are growing faster than air conditioner orders. This divergence from North American cooling norms is driven by distinct European realities: older housing stock, strict rental installation restrictions, high electricity prices, and long AC installation lead times. Merchants are responding by prioritising volume, portability, and price point. In France, where portable fans grew +31% YoY, the trend reflects urban rental dynamics. In the UK, fan orders are growing 2.5x faster than AC, while Italy sees +14% growth in portable fans within an already mature market.
Order growth accelerating more quickly in Northern Europe than Southern Europe
The biggest procurement shifts are occurring in markets not historically associated with extreme heat. Sweden has recorded a +375% year-on-year increase in fan orders, making it the fastest-growing cooling market on the platform. Belgium (+114%) and Switzerland (+34%) follow with triple-digit and strong double-digit growth respectively. These figures indicate that wholesalers in temperate zones are no longer treating summer cooling inventory as optional but a must-have in anticipation of sustained heat. Conversely, Spain remains the only market where AC leads (+100% YoY), suggesting that in the Mediterranean, air conditioning is becoming a standard expectation.
B2B order data provide early warning signal for retailers
Unlike consumer sales figures, B2B procurement data shows what businesses have already committed to buying and storing, often months before customer demand reaches its highest point. As such, Alibaba.com’s data serves as a strong indicator of merchant sentiment. Germany exemplifies this hedging strategy being the only major market that has recorded significant growth in both fans (+30%) and ACs (+25%) as it views this consumer behaviour as a more sustained trend.
