From Price Sensitivity to
Convenience-First Living: Croma’s Year-End Trends Reveal a Confident, Premium
Upgrade Mindset
~ Gaming laptops surged
by 25% plus ~
~ 32% of overall ACs sold
were Smart ACs ~
~ Robotic Appliance Sales
Jump 2x ~
Mumbai : Croma,
India’s trusted omni‑channel electronics retailer from the Tata
Group, today released its Year‑End Consumer Trends 2025, capturing a compelling look at how Indians embraced
technology and home upgrades this year. The findings highlight how Indian
consumers are opting for multi-brand larger formats, premium features, smart
convenience and health‑focused appliances across Croma’s nationwide offline
and online network.
Phones
stayed at the centre of upgrades
According to the report, overall smartphone sales
grew significantly Year-on-Year, but the real story lies in behaviour: one in
three new phones sold was in the ₹20K–30K premium band, and nearly one in five
was a flagship or super-flagship. Breakout price corridors like ₹50–58K surged
over 300%, signalling aspirational trade-ups and a willingness to invest in
technology as identity. India is truly digital-first, led by content creators
and fuelled by gaming and an AI & camera-first mindset.
Computing
went premium, with Bengaluru leading the way
The laptop
market recorded a strong double digit overall growth, with a clear shift toward
premium experiences across categories. AI PCs is shaping Gen Z’s hustle economy
and Gen Alpha’s AI-native lifestyle. With Apple’s M4 chip setting the premium
benchmark and NVIDIA fuelling a gaming boom, a new hierarchy emerges:
AI-Enabled, AI Next-Gen, and Gaming PCs. India’s Silicon Triad – Bengaluru,
Mumbai, and Delhi lead this AI-first wave, signalling concentrated tech growth
as laptops blend extreme power with effortless efficiency.
Gaming
laptops saw a surge of 25% plus for high-performance professional models, reflecting gamers’ preference
for advanced capabilities. In the non-gaming segment, ultra-thin laptops
emerged as a major growth driver, posting an impressive 2X increase, as
consumers increasingly seek sleek, powerful designs that combine portability
with performance.
Home
entertainment scaled up, with cinema-sized screens
Indian
households increasingly brought cinema like experiences home, redefining
entertainment trends. Bengaluru recorded the highest sales of 65-inch
televisions, while Mumbai led demand for ultra large 75 inch and above TVs – signalling
a rise in social, in-home entertainment. Gurugram emerged as the most future
ready market, with the highest preference for 8K‑ready televisions.
Beyond
screens, audio entertainment witnessed a surge as Delhi NCR accounted topped
the chart of immersive sound experience reinforcing its position as a hub for
party lovers.
“Croma’s
year end data shows a clear shift in how Indians are upgrading their homes and
lifestyles. Consumers today are confident, informed and willing to invest in
technology that delivers tangible everyday value, whether it’s larger screens,
smarter appliances, energy efficient cooling or health led products. These
trends reflect a maturing market where choices are driven by experience,
relevance and long-term utility.” said a spokesperson at Infiniti Retail Ltd.
Cooling
stayed resilient, with city-specific preferences
Delhi
and Mumbai were nearly neck to neck in overall AC demand. A notable trend shaping this category
across India is the growing preference for energy-efficient products as ~1 of
every 4 AC’s sold nationwide is a 5-star rated model. And Delhi leads this
climate-conscious shift, with ~1 of every 3 AC’s purchased being 5-star
energy-efficient, highlighting that consumers are not just prioritizing
sustainability but also making smart choices to save on electricity bills
through one-time investments in high-efficiency models.
Adding to
this, 32% of overall ACs sold were Smart ACs,
and North India is witnessing a rising demand for All-Season ACs that also
work as heaters during winter while consuming 40% less electricity compared to
conventional room heaters.
Big-ticket
home appliances moved up the value curve
Consumers
showed a clear inclination towards premium home appliances. Front load
washing machines observed a strong double digit growth year-on-year, with
Bengaluru and Pune leading the trend underscoring their decade long leadership
in embracing the premium solutions.
In the
refrigerators category, Delhi emerged as the top market for side-by-side
door models, followed by Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad,
highlighting the rise in demand for larger, high-capacity appliances that cater
to evolving lifestyle needs.
Health-first
choices entered everyday kitchens
Health
focused appliances witnessed strong growth in 2025. Air fryer sales jumped
nearly 38% year on year, with Mumbai leading the charts, reflecting a
growing shift towards healthier cooking habits.
Air
purifiers, once concentrated in Delhi-NCR, witnessed significant adoption in
Mumbai and Bangalore signalling heightened health awareness nationwide. This
surge is largely driven by current climatic conditions and poor AQI levels,
prompting consumers to invest in air purifiers as a proactive step toward
cleaner indoor air and better health.
Water
purifiers also had a phenomenal year, with Bangalore emerging as Croma’s
largest market, followed by Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad. This growth reflects a
rising consumer consciousness about water contamination and the importance of
safe drinking, driving more households to invest in advanced purification
solutions for health and well-being.
Smart
convenience became the breakout trend
Smart
convenience appliances recorded the fastest growth across categories. Sales
of automated and robotic solutions soared by nearly 2X in 2025. Bengaluru
emerged as India’s robotics capital.
From
phones and screens to kitchens and cooling, 2025 saw Indian homes upgrade with
confidence, embracing premium, smart, and health-first living.