Indian festive season consumer trends

Indian brands are adapting their marketing strategies for the 2026 festive season by focusing on consumer decision-making journeys rather than traditional calendar-based planning. Experts note that consumer intent often begins well before peak sale periods.

Specific campaigns for Janmashtami 2026 have been launched by various companies, including HDFC Mutual Fund, Indus Towers, Asian Paints, and SKICORP Group, focusing on themes such as financial empowerment, connectivity, and home innovation. Data regarding festive buying intent shows significant regional variations across major Indian cities, with Mumbai showing momentum in electrical goods and Delhi NCR seeing growth in digital services, apparel, and cosmetics.

Recent data indicates a major shift toward digital and social media for product discovery. A Deloitte India report suggests that nearly 80% of home shoppers now discover products through social media, driven by younger homeowners. This trend coincides with a projected growth in the Indian home and household market, which could reach USD 260 billion by 2030.

According to the Integral Ad Science (IAS) Holiday Shopping India 2026 Report, 91% of consumers find online advertising helpful for discovering products and promotions during the festive season. Digital shopping is expected to be dominant, with 84% of consumers intending to conduct most or all of their festive shopping online, primarily via mobile devices. Additionally, there is an increasing reliance on artificial intelligence, as 38% of consumers plan to use AI tools for product research and gift ideas, an increase from 32% the previous year.