Gas worries rise, households plug into cooking alternatives

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After a surge in demand for induction cooktops, offline and online retailers are witnessing an uptick in the sale of products like electric cookers, kettles, and air fryers as concerns grow over potential disruptions in the supply of piped natural gas (PNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) amid the ongoing West Asia conflict.

Retailers say the sudden spike in demand has taken the industry by surprise, raising fears that stores could soon run out of stock if the trend continues.

Shibashish Roy, managing director and chief executive officer of Infiniti Retail, which operates the Croma stores, said the surge in purchases has been swift and significant. “Alongside induction cooktops, we are also witnessing a rise in demand for electric kettles, with sales nearly doubling compared to the regular run rate,” Roy said.

“At Croma, we have observed a sharp and immediate uptick in demand for induction cooktops over the past few days. Our average daily run rate has surged to nearly three times the usual levels,” Roy said. “Interestingly, we are also seeing customers purchase multiple units at a time, which was not common earlier, indicating some precautionary buying.”