Navratri Sales Soar To Decade-High As GST Cuts Lift Consumer Demand | Economy News

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India’s top consumer goods makers and retailers reported their strongest Navratri sales in over a decade, buoyed by recent GST rate cuts and lower product prices that reignited consumer sentiment. The robust festival demand has set the tone for what companies hope will be an even stronger Diwali season later this month.

Sales across brands surged between 25% and 100%, offering much-needed relief to businesses after five to six years of sluggish demand, the report noted.

Auto Sector Leads the Festive Charge

Car market leader Maruti Suzuki recorded its best-ever Navratri sales in at least 10 years, with sales doubling from last year. The maker of Swift and Alto cars reported 700,530 enquiries and 150,000 bookings as of Wednesday and expects to reach 200,000 bookings by Thursday evening. The company retailed 85,000 vehicles last Navratri.

Mahindra & Mahindra, which sells popular SUVs such as the XUV700 and Scorpio N, saw retails jump 60% year-on-year. At Hyundai, the surge in demand for models like Creta and Venue pushed SUVs’ share of total sales to over 72%.

Consumer Electronics Boom

In the electronics segment, brands like LG, Haier, and Godrej Appliances saw high double-digit sales growth this Navratri compared to last year. Haier’s sales soared 85%, nearly selling out its Diwali stock of 85-inch and 100-inch TVs priced above Rs 2.5 lakh. The company also sold 300–350 units of 65-inch TVs daily during the period.

“The Navratri sales this year were driven by the direct benefit of the GST rate cut and the indirect boost it gave to customer sentiment,” said Satish NS, president of Haier India, in his comments to The Economic Times.

Price Incentives Add Fuel to Demand

The GST Council’s rate reduction, effective September 22, allowed companies to pass on the savings to customers. Many brands also offered additional price incentives to lure shoppers, the report added.

Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive of Marketing and Sales at Maruti Suzuki, noted significant growth across all categories — from small cars to SUVs and MPVs. He said small car bookings rose by 50% this festive season.

India’s largest retailer, Reliance Retail, reported a 20–25% jump in sales compared to last year, reports suggest.

Festive Season Split

The first half of the festive period — spanning Onam, Durga Puja-Navratri, and Dussehra (celebrated on October 2 this year) — contributes 40–45% of total festive sales, making it the country’s biggest consumption period. While Onam sales were lukewarm due to the GST transition phase, business rebounded sharply during Navratri after the revised rates kicked in on September 22.

The second half of the season, including Dhanteras, Diwali (in the third week of October), and the New Year, is expected to further accelerate momentum.

Strong Momentum Across Sectors

Hero MotoCorp reported double showroom footfalls during Navratri, with strong traction in the commuter bike segment. Tata Motors retailed over 50,000 vehicles during the festive period up to Tuesday, with strong demand for the Altroz, Punch, Nexon, and Tiago models.

LG Electronics India Sales Head Sanjay Chitkara described the Navratri sales as showing “exponential growth.” Demand for TVs, ACs, and dishwashers surged due to GST cuts, while refrigerators, washing machines, and microwave ovens also attracted buyers. “We believe this momentum will continue after Diwali and the wedding season,” he told The Economic Times.

Footfalls in Retail and E-Commerce Competition

Retailers observed increased footfalls at malls from the previous weekend through Thursday, following an initial slow start to Navratri due to Amazon’s and Flipkart’s annual mega sales events that diverted some consumer spending online.

With the GST reforms driving price cuts and rekindling festive spirit, consumer companies are now gearing up for what could be a record-breaking Diwali season.