Demand for Consumer Water Purification and Air Cleaning Systems to Reach $1.7 Billion

Demand for consumer water purification and air cleaning systems is expected to increase 5.2 percent per year to $1.7 billion in 2014, benefiting in part from projected rebounds in consumer spending on durable goods and in residential construction spending, which both suffered during the 2007-2009 recession.  Gains will also be driven by consumer concerns about the quality of the air and water in the home and increased awareness of the health and aesthetic benefits of these systems.  These and other trends, including market share and product segmentation, are presented in Consumer Water Purification & Air Cleaning Systems, a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industry market research firm.

Water purification systems that feature conventional filtration media accounted for the majority of demand for water systems in 2009, with 76 percent of sales value.  Faster growth will be registered by higher-value reverse osmosis and distillation systems, although from significantly smaller bases.  These systems can remove a broader range of contaminants compared to conventional filters.  In general, the market size depends on the quality -- or the perceived quality -- of local tap water supplies. 

In 2009, point-of-use (POU) systems, which are installed at a single outlet, had the larger share of demand for water purification systems.  However, sales of point-of-entry (POE) systems, which treat all water that enters a home, are expected to post faster growth through 2014, albeit from a very low base, due in part to the rebound of single family home construction. 

Among air cleaners, conventional filtration systems accounted for the largest share of value demand with 47 percent in 2009, because they offer relatively inexpensive, thorough air cleaning and minimal to no ozone production.  However, electrostatic air cleaners, which often operate more quietly and efficiently, are projected to achieve faster gains through 2014.  Portable air cleaners, which are designed to treat the air in a single room, accounted for the larger share of air cleaner sales in 2009.  Sales of portable air cleaners are expected to continue to grow at a rate faster than that of whole-house air system sales.

The Freedonia Group is a leading international business research company, founded in 1985, that publishes more than 100 industry research studies annually. This industry analysis provides an unbiased outlook and a reliable assessment of an industry and includes product segmentation and demand forecasts, industry trends, demand history, threats and opportunities, competitive strategies, market share determinations and company profiles.