EUROPE: The effects of Covid-19 are held at least partly responsible for a fall in refrigerant demand and prices in the quarter to September.

The refrigerant price trends are recorded in the latest report from German consultancy Öko-Recherche.

A strong decrease in demand for R134a was observed in the automotive sector, and prices are said to have decreased at all supply chain levels compared to the previous quarter.

Prices also dropped amid low demand for R410A, as a result of buildings not being used during the Covid-19 pandemic and companies holding back on investments in new air conditioning systems and the servicing and maintenance of existing systems.