Whatever’s cool is hot this summer: from bedroom breeze to comfy clothes to iced juice.

The coolest thing to invest in this summer is, well, an air conditioner (AC). And bulky window ACs that eat up precious urban space are passé. More and more Calcutta consumers are going for the split AC.

The success of the category, according to market watchers, has a lot to do with the narrowing price gap between the split and the window AC, attractive financing options, developments and value additions. “Major improvements in performance and power consumption have also helped push up sales of the split AC,” says Amit Doshi, marketing head of Hitachi Home & Life Solutions.

Price is a key factor, since a split AC that came for Rs 50,000 in 2000, now costs around Rs 30,000. The difference between split and window ACs has narrowed to around Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000. So, split AC sales have grown from 136,000 in 2000 to 285,000 in 2003. “The split AC provides aesthetic value as well, something that along with commercial establishments, domestic users are also increasingly attaching a lot of importance to,” feels Jiten Chawla of Cams Corner, on Camac Street.

But then, the AC as a cool tool can only add to indoor comfort, not beat the outdoor heat. For that, what you slip into is of vital importance. Having launched its new Escape collection of trendy summery westernwear, that includes cottons in flirty florals and pale pastels, Shoppers’ Stop at Forum is now witnessing a big boom in the deodorant and perfume segment.

“There is a strong emphasis on fruity smells this season, as opposed to the more synthetic variants,” says floor manager Navin Misra. “Most schools have closed for the vacations and parents have more time on their hands to shop now,” he adds.

Big Bazaar, on VIP Road, is another player eyeing the kids’ pester power. A ‘holiday dhamaka’ is on the cards, with gifts, sit-and-draw competitions and special games for children. Adding zing to the summer shopping thing will be a mango festival, featuring a wide variety of the fruit from different parts of the country.

Fruity is the flavour at Wot Not, as well. The Ballygunge supermarket is one of the few stocking up on exotic imported fruits, like kiwis, avocados, Australian grapes and Chinese apples. “Our fruit sales have gone up by 25 per cent. Surprisingly, apples, basically a winter fruit, have been selling like hot cakes as people are turning to lighter food now,” says director Dipen Sheth.

Enerzy, the fruit juice bar at Forum, has taken the hint as well. Apart from the usual juices and blends, it is offering customised fresh fruit bowls to help shoppers cool off. Juices taste just as good. “We have registered over 50 per cent increase in juice sales since we opened shop a couple of months ago,” says general manager Mohit Tikmany.

Colas, meanwhile, have geared up for a bull run, after being hit hard by controversies. “We have over a million retailers at present and plan to add another 24 per cent to it this summer,” reveals Sunil Gupta, vice-president, external affairs, Coca-Cola India, pinning hopes on flexi-packaging and the brand new Vanilla Coke.