In Russia, the sale of car fire extinguishers has seen a sharp decline, with figures roughly cut in half. This drop aligns with the halt in automotive production during the spring of 2020 and the withdrawal of several car brands from the market in response to sanctions. A representative from Yarpozhinvest, which holds about half of the Russian car extinguisher market, indicated that the demand will not rebound to pre-crisis levels in the near term. The market reality reflects broader shifts in the automotive sector and the ripple effects those shifts have on aftersales products like extinguishers.
From March 2022 onward, voices in the industry described a 40% to 50% decrease in car extinguisher sales. The downturn was linked to reduced component shipments and the slow resumption of finished car production. AvtoVAZ faced a halt in imports, compounding the challenge. Industry observers noted that the persistent reduction in vehicle output continues to suppress demand for extinguishers, a trend captured by observers in Gazeta.Ru and voiced by executive leadership within the sector.
Historically, many Russian factories, including giants such as Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, and Mazda, equipped new vehicles with a fire extinguisher placed directly in the seller’s kit. The suspension of production at these plants curtailed the regular introduction of extinguishers into the market. Although a policy change in September relieved some customers from a mandatory check during vehicle inspections, experts say the impact on sales will be limited. The change reduces regulatory friction but does not by itself restore demand to prior levels.
- Simplified inspection rules have been in force in Russia since September 1.
- Behind the wheel can be read in Odnoklassniki.