Navratri sales hit decade-high as GST reforms boost festive spending

India’s consumer economy witnessed its strongest Navratri sales in over ten years, with the recent goods and services tax (GST) reforms spurring festive demand across categories, including automobile and consumer electronics.

 

According to government data, leading companies in the automobile sector, such as Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra & Mahindra, Hyundai, and Tata Motors, logged record-breaking growth, with Maruti Suzuki posting 100 per cent growth in sales. Maruti reported 350,000 bookings with around 250,000 pending bookings. The carmaker expects to touch 200,000 deliveries, compared to 85,000 vehicles sold last Navratri.

 

In the first eight days of the festival, Maruti Suzuki delivered 165,000 vehicles, including 30,000 units on Day 1, making it the company’s best single-day sales in 35 years. Here’s how other major automakers performed:

• Mahindra & Mahindra reported a 60 per cent jump in retail sales, powered by SUVs such as the XUV700 and Scorpio N
• Hyundai said demand for its Creta and Venue SUVs pushed the category’s share to over 72 per cent of its total sales
• Tata Motors retailed over 50,000 vehicles, with strong traction for Altroz, Punch, Nexon, and Tiago
• Bajaj Auto also reported robust sales momentum during the festive period
• Hero MotoCorp saw showroom footfalls double this Navratri, particularly in the commuter motorcycle segment

Firms log record-breaking growth

The GST rationalisation reduced tax rates on both essential and aspirational items, making products more affordable and unlocking consumer demand. 

 

Consumer electronics firms, such as Haier, recorded 85 per cent growth in sales during the festive period. LG Electronics India also noted “exponential growth” in sales this Navratri season. According to government data, several brands in the segment reported high double-digit growth.

• Reliance Retail, the country’s largest retailer, recorded a 20–25 per cent rise in sales
• Haier nearly exhausted its Diwali inventory of 85- and 100-inch televisions, while selling about 300–350 units of 65-inch models each day during the period
• Vijay Sales also saw its sales rise by over 20 per cent
• Godrej Appliances posted strong double-digit growth during the Navratri period

Festive spending at record high

Retailers and brands across categories reported sales growth ranging from 25–100 per cent, the report said, adding that it is a reflection of improved consumer sentiment and purchasing power. Industry executives said the GST reforms have not only reduced costs but also expanded accessibility for middle-class households, who are now upgrading to bigger cars, larger appliances, and premium lifestyle products.

 

The first half of the festive season, including Onam, Durga Puja, and Dussehra, accounts for 40–45 per cent of total festive sales, making it the single largest consumption period in India. This year, it has also become the strongest indicator yet of the resilience of India’s consumption-driven economy, the report added.