Hansa Research Festive Insights 2026: Indian Consumers Gear Up for a Bigger, Earlier and More Conscious Festive Season

Hansa Research Festive Insights 2026: Indian Consumers Gear Up for a Bigger, Earlier and More Conscious Festive Season

India, Aug 25: Hansa Research, India’s largest consumer insights provider, has released its Festive Season 2026 analysis, capturing evolving consumer sentiment, spending patterns, shopping journeys and brand preferences across India. The findings point to stronger spending intent, earlier shopping journeys, digital-led discovery and increasingly conscious consumption, offering brands a closer look at the changing festive consumer.

Festive Spending Set to Rise

For 95% of respondents, the festive season is an important period for shopping, with 95% planning to spend more than usual. While 45% plan to spend 25–50% more, another 22% expect to spend over 50% extra, while just 2% say they will not increase their festive spending.

The festive sentiment is equally strong, with 82% expressing excitement about the upcoming season. Diwali remains the most widely celebrated festival at 85%, followed by Dussehra/Navratri 73%, Raksha Bandhan 65% and Ganesh Chaturthi 60%.

Fashion Leads as Festive Baskets Broaden

Apparel and fashion lead festive shopping at 69%, followed by home décor/furniture at 51% and electronics & gadgets at 50%. Sweets and snacks account for 43%, while jewellery stands at 35%, pointing to a festive basket that extends beyond traditional categories into lifestyle and considered purchases.

Online Becomes Integral to Festive Shopping

38% of consumers plan to shop through online platforms, while another 25% will combine online and offline channels. Together, 63% are incorporating online into their festive shopping journey, while local markets account for 18% and physical retail stores for 12%.

The Festive Shopper Is Starting Earlier

Festive shopping is increasingly moving ahead of the traditional last-minute rush. 50% begin shopping two to four weeks before the festival, while 11% start one to two months in advance. Overall, 61% begin at least a week before the festival, with only 2% shopping at the last minute.

Discounts Lead, But Social Influence Matters

Discounts and deals remain the strongest purchase influence at 60%, followed by family traditions at 53% and social media/influencer recommendations at 48%. Brand trust and legacy influence 35%, while advertisements influence 32%.

However, there is a clear festive brand recall gap: while 95% prefer buying from brands running festive-specific ads or offers, only 39% recall a brand that stood out in last year’s campaigns.

Sustainability Goes Mainstream

85% of respondents consciously make eco-friendly choices during festive shopping. Among these, 68% avoid plastic decorations, 59% choose eco-friendly packaging, 58% prefer gifting experiences over products and 48% shop from local, handmade or small businesses.

The findings indicate that conscious consumption is extending beyond products and packaging to how consumers celebrate and where they choose to spend.

What Consumers Want From Festive Campaigns

Product discounts and bundles lead festive campaign preferences at 43%, followed by cultural storytelling and emotional advertising at 35%. Community or cause-driven campaigns account for 15%, while 8% prefer exclusive limited-edition offerings.

For brands, the findings highlight the need to balance value with emotional and cultural relevance to create stronger consumer engagement during the festive season.

Commenting on the findings, Praveen Nijhara, CEO at Hansa Research, said,

“The 2026 festive season reflects a consumer who is optimistic about spending, but increasingly intentional about where, how and why they spend. What stands out is the shift from a concentrated festive buying period to a longer, more digitally influenced and considered consumer journey. Earlier shopping, digital discovery and conscious choices are reshaping how consumers engage with brands. For marketers, the challenge is no longer simply to capture festive attention, but to remain relevant throughout this journey. The gap between the high preference for festive advertising and relatively low brand recall also highlights that visibility alone does not guarantee impact—brands need to create distinctive experiences that combine value, emotion and cultural relevance.”

Hansa Research Festive Insights 2026 highlights a consumer who is optimistic about spending but increasingly intentional in how they discover, evaluate and purchase. For brands, understanding these behavioural shifts will be critical to turning festive visibility into meaningful consumer engagement.