Skip to main content

TV, fridge, AC prices may rise twice this year


Many companies considering price hikes over the next few months to pass on the burdens of GST and material cost. Prices of televisions, airconditioners, washing machines and refrigerators may rise twice this year because of higher input costs and a new tax structure.

Videocon, Panasonic, LG and Whirlpool are considering immediate price hikes to pass on the additional tax burden under the goods and services tax (GST). The rise in material prices over the past few months may be passed on during the festive season.

Prices of steel, copper and plastic have been rising since February. Prices of components such as compressors for ACs and refrigerators have risen up by 4 per cent and prices of TV panels have risen by 3 per cent.

Under margin pressure, companies had postponed price hikes till the festive season. Rajeev Bhutani, vice-president, marketing, Samsung India Electronics, had told Business Standard earlier that the increased cost of TV panels would have to be passed on.

ā€œWe have not yet decided the price hikes under the GST. We are also calculating the hikes to avoid impact on demand GST comes as second blow with up to 4% rise in effective taxation Companies canā€™t absorb additional costs, may have to hike prices again to pass on input costs ahead of festive season effect of higher prices of steel, copper and plastic. Hopefully, the increase will be spread over the coming months,ā€ said Kapil Agarwal, vice-president, Whirlpool of India.

ā€œWe expect prices of TVs, refrigerators and microwave ovens to go up by 3-4 per cent due to the GST,ā€ said Manish Gupta, chief financial officer, Panasonic India. While manufacturers are focused on passing on the additional tax burden of the GST, many are planning a twofold increase. Videocon is planning price hikes of 2.5 per cent now, but more will be in the offing.

ā€œIncreases in prices of components have been set off to some extent due to a marginal drop in dollar prices. But it is very much likely that prices may rise later,ā€ said CM Singh, chief operating officer, Videocon.

Executives with other consumer durables makers said steep hikes in the lean season were out of the question.ā€œWe will wait till the festive season before increasing prices. Now we are merely passing on the additional tax,ā€ an executive said.

Business Standard New Delhi, 06th July 2017

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Budget: Startup sector gets new Fund of Funds, FM to allocate Rs 10K cr

  The Indian startup sector received a boost with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announcing the establishment of a new fund of funds (FoF) in the Budget 2025. The minister unveiled a fresh FoF with an expanded scope, allocating Rs 10,000 crore. The initial fund of funds announced by the government with an investment of Rs 10,000 crore successfully catalysed commitments worth Rs 91,000 crore, the minister said.   ā€œThe renewal of the Rs 10,000 crore commitment to the Fund of Funds for alternative investment funds (AIFs) is a significant step forward for the Indian startup and investment ecosystem. The initial Rs 10,000 crore commitment catalysed Rs 91,000 crore in investments, and I fully expect this fresh infusion to attract an additional Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh crore in capital,ā€ said Anirudh Damani, managing partner, Artha Venture Funds.   Damani further added that this initiative will provide much-needed growth capital to early-stage startups, further strengthenin...

GST collection for November rises by 8.5% to Rs.1.82 trillion

  New Delhi: Driven by festive demand, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections for the Union and state governments climbed to Rs.1.82 trillion in November, marking an 8.5% year-on-year growth, according to official data released on Sunday. Sequentially, however, the latest collection figures are lower than the Rs.1.87 trillion reported in October, which was the second highest reported so far since the new indirect tax regime was introduced in 2017. The highest-ever GST collection of Rs.2.1 trillion was reported in April. The consumption tax figures highlight the positive impact of the recent festive season on goods purchases, providing a much-needed boost the industry had been anticipating. The uptick in GST collections driven by festive demand had been anticipated by policymakers, who remain optimistic about sustained growth in rural consumption and an improvement in urban demand. The Ministry of Finance, in its latest monthly economic review released last week, stated that I...