Europe drought drives demand for Chinese water-saving goods as EU trade tensions grow
AgenciesAfter the intense European heatwave beginning in late May fuelled a surge in imports of Chinese air conditioners, drought across the continent is now driving unexpected ove...
Europe's prolonged drought, ignited by an extreme heatwave in late May, is causing a surge in demand for Chinese-made water-saving products, according to recent trade tensions. In Yiwu, a city in eastern China's Zhejiang province, small-goods capital, Liu Junming has noticed a dramatic increase in exports of kitchen and bathroom hardware.
Tap and showerhead sales, once under 2,000 units per month, now average around 10,000 monthly. Liu attributes this growth to European customers actively seeking his water-efficient products.
The surge in demand is fueled by the continent's devastating drought. Germany's Low Water Information System recorded extremely low water levels at 44% of Rhine measuring stations and 78% of Danube stations by end of July. The arid conditions have continued into August, with the Danube reaching historically low levels. Drought has prompted water-use restrictions across Europe, with France under restrictions in nearly 70% of its territory, and the UK, Portugal, Spain, and Ireland enacting similar bans.
Chinese manufacturers are capitalizing on this opportunity, with Shanghai-based Solidware seeing a 20% year-over-year increase in export volumes for its stainless-steel drinkware, which features cold-retention and environmentally-friendly functions. Zhang Bin, Solidware's general manager, attributes this success to the recent heatwaves and drought, which have reshaped local consumer markets.
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