This Diwali, Sales Of Pollution Masks, Air Purifiers Were At An All Time High

2018 is when anti-pollution masks became an essential ‘Diwali item’, as they replaced Diwali decor in markets and sweets in gift hampers. Sale of masks & purifiers were through the roof.

Diyas – check. Lights – check. Rangoli colours – check. Masks and air-purifiers? For many people in Delhi-NCR this year, this is what Diwali shopping was like.

The worsening air quality and increasing pollution in the run-up to the festival, and fears that cracker-bursting on the day will only make things worse, meant that sales of anti-pollution masks and fancy air purifiers shot up like crazy.

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So even as many other businesses (particularly those selling firecrackers) bemoaned a ‘pheeki’ or lacklustre Diwali this year, those selling masks and air purifiers are saying that they always knew their Diwali would be busy and profitable.

But just how profitable is a revelation – mask displays replaced Diwali decor in markets, and sweets in gift hampers – as shoppers rushed to scoop up this 'Diwali item'.

Others had a lukewarm Diwali but ours was bumper: mask sellers

Mask sellers had a bumper Diwali, with sales overshooting last year’s figures already. Sangeet Singh, a mask seller in Gurgaon, tells us, “Of course, it’s nothing to be happy about, kyunki saans toh humne bhi yahin leni hai issi hawa mein. But we knew over a month ago that it would again be a bumper Diwali for us.

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Closer to the festival, we ran out of masks almost every second day. Har doosre din stock replenish karna padta tha.” At several markets, particularly in shops outside Khan Market and Gurgaon’s Galleria Market, the usual stocking of decorative items and sweets outside stores was replaced by boxes of masks.

Even novelty masks – those with designs and colourful patterns, were sold out this year. Till last year, the designs and patterns used to be limited. However, sellers say that recognising the high demand, manufacturers have experimented freely.

A seller in Khan market says, “As kids refuse to wear masks, parents want something that appeals to kids as they need to wear a mask every time they go out. We had masks with cartoon characters which were sold out in the first two days. We had to order more with floral designs and cartoon characters right before Diwali.”

Advance buying a month before Diwali

Another change was that the sale of both masks and air purifiers began over a month prior to Diwali this year. “This year saw a lot of advance buying,” says Nitin Arora, a mask seller from Noida, “People had started buying masks by September-end.

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In the previous years, most of the shopping took place close to Diwali. This meant that despite there being no long queues, we were able to sell more masks compared to last year.”

Air purifiers – queries replaced by purchases

While masks are a relatively cheaper buy, many are spending thousands to buy air purifiers and sales have doubled from the previous years, sellers say. A seller of air purifiers in Gurgaon says, “Till last year, 80-90% of the people who came to us just had queries.

They asked about the price and whether air purifiers were effective. Sales were limited to a few customers. This year, that has changed. Awareness has increased and most who come to the shop end up purchasing.”

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Since air purifiers sell for over Rs 10,000, earlier, customers would often haggle over the price, which has ended now. “People would ask ki koi discount nahi hai kya, electronic items par toh Diwali mein discount hota hai,” recalls Vinesh, who owns an electronics showroom in south Delhi, adding, “But iss saal aisa nahin hai.

People don’t ask about discounts. Their queries have changed to kaunsa brand ya model zyada effective hai. Our sales for air purifiers increased three-fold this year. Masks were always popular, but 2018 is when air purifiers became a popular buy for Diwali.”

Corporates spending lakhs to install air purifiers

Jai Dhar Gupta, whose company handles large-scale fitting of air purifiers in offices, tells us, “Earlier this year, we did air-cleaning solutions for a cinema chain and a school in Delhi-Gurgaon, after which we began talks with other corporates.

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But har jagah, the negotiations would stop as people didn’t show interest in spending lakhs. That all changed around September-October. Companies started chasing us ki aao, commercial team se mil lo, let’s close this deal and get the installation done.”

This year’s Diwali gift? Masks

Joining diyas and candles, anti-pollution masks were a new addition to Diwali hampers this year. Many in NCR bought masks in bulk and included them in the Diwali gifts they sent out to business associates and friends.

“Every Diwali, there is a focus on gifting something healthy to your friends and family, and this year, what could have been healthier than an anti-pollution mask? I ordered them in bulk and attached one to each gift hamper. I think this is the most essential gift one could have thought of this Diwali,” says Avadesh Chauhan, a Dwarka-based businessman.

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The thought of gifting a mask for Diwali came to Priya Gupta’s mind when she saw an FB post promoting the idea. “I realised that this is one thing which people in NCR want the most right now.

I know many people who are suffering from health problems because of smog, so I bought masks for them and instead of gifting chocolates or sweets, I attached a mask along with the gift that I was sending,” says Gupta, a resident of Vasant Kunj.

Masks join ‘high value’ and highly copied goods

‘Imitation is the best indicator of commercial success,’ any brand having counterfeits in the market will tell you. And joining such ‘high value’ products this year are masks. Copies of international brand Vogmask were discovered by the wholesalers and franchise owners of Vogmask in select pharmacies and shops in Gurgaon’s Galleria Market a week before Diwali.

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Jai Dhar Gupta, whose company holds the license to sell Vogmasks in India, says, “I have a habit of walking in into pharmacies and shops to see how the stock is doing and what the customer demands are. On one such visit last week, I was shocked to find imitations of Vogmask in two leading pharmacies at Galleria Market.

The masks that I saw were being sold for the same price as the branded ones, but were clearly not effective. The stitching was poorly done and the filter was just a plastic piece. I wrote to the two chains and within 24 hours, they recalled those masks. But my worry is that I don’t know where else such counterfeit masks might be selling. It’s a health hazard.”

‘Mask pehen ke patakhe phod sakte hain?’ seriously, people?!

With firecrackers being heard all over NCR despite a Supreme Court ban, many rightly say that Dilli nahi sudhregi. Sample this query put to a staff member at a Khan Market store: “A number of people of different age groups came to buy masks, but the most surprising query I received was from a few people who asked me that if they burst firecrackers wearing these masks, would the mask still be effective? I was shocked when I heard it for the first time, but then a number of people asked the same question through the day.”

N95, N99: What are these mask classifications?

Masks – or as they are called by the industry, air-purifying respirators – have been designed to prevent inhalation of airborne particles that can cause respiratory disorders and illnesses. Initially, these masks were designed for usage in environments with high suspended particulate matter in the air – such as mines, construction sites, etc.

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However, over the last few years, they have come to be used by the general public too, because of the alarming increase in pollution levels. N-series masks provide resistance against solid and aerosol particles that do not contain oil.

N95 masks provide 95% protection from such particles, ie they can filter 95% of such air pollutants. N99 masks can filter up to 99.7% of them. These masks, however, cannot stop any particles that contain oil, for which one needs masks from the R series (R95 and R100).

A P-series mask is also available, and experts say it provides the largest coverage, as it not only filters solid and oil-based particles, but liquid aerosol particles as well. Common N-series masks are available from `200 to over `1,000 in Delhi markets. R95 masks are available for over `2,000 and are mostly only available online, while P-series masks are tough to purchase in India.