Belgium: Heatwave boosts conditioner demand across Europe.

Shotlist Brussels, Belgium - June 30, 2026 1. Various of exterior of home appliance store Electro Depot 2. Various of home appliances on display; customers; shelves for portable air conditioners, cooling fans 3. SOUNDBITE (English) Yvan, manager, Electro Depot (full name not given): "It was crazy because everybody wants to get a ventilator, an aircon. And we cannot receive enough in order to please everyone. And it's the same in every shop in Belgium." 4. Various of home appliances on display; customers 5. SOUNDBITE (English) Yvan, manager, Electro Depot (full name not given): "[Such] heavy temperature. Because I think in Belgium it's one week, two weeks, maybe three weeks of temperature like that. So, they don't have [aircon or cooling fan]. It's quite expensive, more expensive to buy an aircon that you put in the wall." 6. Various of home appliances on display; shelves for portable air conditioners, cooling fans 7. Sign of European Commission 8. Pedestrians under canopy of European Commission building 9. Various of flags of European Union Storyline Soaring temperatures brought by strong heatwave in Europe are driving a sharp rise in demand for air conditioning units, particularly in countries where such appliances were once considered unnecessary. Since late June, an extraordinary heatwave in Europe has shattered numerous temperature records, with more than 1,300 excess deaths reported. The extreme heat has led to increasing demand for home cooling devices. In a home appliance store near the European Commission in Brussels, portable air conditioners and electric cooling fans were in short supply. "It was crazy because everybody wants to get a ventilator, an aircon. And we cannot receive enough in order to please everyone. And it's the same in every shop in Belgium," said Yvan, manager of the Electro Depot store. For decades, air conditioning was not considered a necessity in many European homes. In countries such as Germany, France and Britain, many consumers used to see hot weather as a brief summer episode. That perception is changing as heatwaves become more frequent, intense and persistent. In addition, many residential buildings in Europe are old and were not designed for air-conditioning systems. In rented homes, installing a conventional split unit often requires a landlord's approval, while building rules, noise concerns and restrictions on altering facades can present additional obstacles. Even where installation is permitted, consumers may face high costs and long waiting times. "Because I think in Belgium it's one week, two weeks, maybe three weeks of temperature like that. So, they they don't have [aircon or cooling fan]. It's quite expensive, more expensive to buy an aircon that you put in the wall," said Yvan. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]