Singapore breathed the haze. Then it shopped for clean air.
Smoke from Indonesian fires drifted across Southeast Asia, bringing prolonged periods of unhealthy air quality to Singapore in September and October 2026. We tracked how shoppers responded, looking at air-purifier and face-mask shopping activity across online retailers.
Early September. The first signal
When Singapore's 24-hour PSI first entered the Unhealthy range on 4 September, air-purifier shopping activity began to rise. Across 4–26 September, clicks and baskets averaged around 3.5× their August daily levels.
Late September. The first major spike
As haze conditions worsened around 27–29 September, clicks jumped to 15× baseline, while baskets reached 32×. Activity eased over the following days, but remained above August levels.
Early October. A second wave builds
As unhealthy air quality persisted and conditions deteriorated again, shopping activity accelerated. Between 9 and 13 October, clicks reached 34× baseline and baskets 53×.
Mid-October. The peak of the crisis
At the height of the haze episode, between 14 and 17 October, clicks surged to 145× baseline and baskets to 230×.
Interest in face masks emerged later, with most of the shopping activity concentrated in October. October purchases were around 10× September levels. While purifier interest built through successive waves, mask purchases were concentrated around the crisis peak.
Late October. The surge subsides
As air quality improved, shopping activity declined. Clicks and baskets fell to 31× and 42× baseline, respectively, during 18–24 October, and further to 8× and 9× in the final week of the month. Activity had eased considerably, although it remained above August levels.
“Purifier interest built through successive waves. Mask purchases arrived all at once, around the crisis peak.
Singapore air-purifier multipliers
vs August 2026 daily average| Window | What was happening | Clicks | Baskets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 4–26 | Initial increase | 3.5× | 3.6× |
| Sep 27–29 | First major spike | 15× | 32× |
| Sep 30–Oct 8 | Temporary easing | 7× | 6× |
| Oct 9–13 | Second wave | 34× | 53× |
| Oct 14–17 | Peak | 145× | 230× |
| Oct 18–24 | Post-peak decline | 31× | 42× |
| Oct 25–31 | Further easing | 8× | 9× |
What brands can take from this
Shoppers react to prolonged deterioration, not just the first unhealthy reading.
The largest air-purifier surge came after several weeks of fluctuating but worsening conditions, with shopping activity accelerating sharply in October. Brands should monitor early warning signs and sustained deterioration, and prepare campaigns and inventory ahead of the peak.
Different products move at different speeds.
Air-purifier shopping interest built up over several weeks, while face-mask purchases were concentrated in just five days. Brands need to plan for both longer consideration periods and sudden, short-lived demand spikes, ensuring products are visible and available before conditions worsen.
