Diet Coke is getting harder to find in India as summer demand collides with a global aluminium shortage. Producers rely on aluminium cans, but rising demand and disruptions linked to Middle East conflict are tightening supplies. With e-commerce stocks also wavering, the drink has turned into a Gen Z-style “missing product” moment, sparking questions about what happens when can supply falters.
DMart is accelerating its physical footprint, adding 65–70 stores yearly and targeting 2,200 locations by 2030, with each mature outlet earning steady 5–6% margins. Meanwhile, quick commerce firms like Blinkit and JioMart are winning app users and orders via 10-minute delivery, but are still heavily loss-making. The two models are diverging because they serve different shopping moments and economies by city density.
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Trent’s shares fell more than 1% on April 23 even after the Tata Group retail firm reported solid Q4 results. Traders pointed to weak overall investor sentiment that kept the market opening in red repeatedly, overriding confidence from the earnings. The stock move reflects how macro mood can dilute company-specific positives in the near term.
Samsonite CEO says discounting in India’s luggage market is unsustainable, eroding profitability as new players aggressively cut prices. While the sector keeps growing, that growth may slow due to a higher baseline and intensifying competition. Samsonite managed to outpace VIP Industries in revenue, yet VIP’s profits reportedly dropped sharply despite rising sales.
Akshaya Tritiya 2026 reshaped jewellery buying, with tier 2 and tier 3 cities driving growth and prepaid transactions taking center stage. Shoppers increasingly chose lightweight gold for a balance of cost and aspiration, while digital-first brands gained ground. UPI and financing options also boosted spending, and beauty emerged as a major category—pointing to a durable change in festive shopping habits.
After the pandemic accelerated online buying, shopping patterns have stayed changed. With quick commerce and home delivery, consumers can access the same high-end brands without visiting malls, shifting demand toward apps and fast delivery. The question now is whether malls can reinvent themselves—or whether they’re becoming optional for a growing share of shoppers.
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India’s direct-to-consumer brands are expanding faster than ever, powered largely by Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. For FY26, these smaller markets are projected to contribute nearly 66% of new orders, lifting order volumes by 33% and increasing GMV by 32%. With the D2C sector expected to reach $60 billion by 2030, growth is shifting beyond metros.
India’s jewellery market is shedding its local-only identity as Kalyan Jewellers scales up. The shift blends traditional town-level advantages with modern store practices and product validation tools, while also leveraging local brand momentum. The result: a faster move from regional presence to national reach, challenging how customers shop for trust, pricing, and craft.
Vedant Fashions, once a showstopper after its IPO, is seeing flat revenues as the wedding market cools and demand shifts. With Gen Z increasingly indifferent to traditional sherwanis, the brand’s signature appeal is losing lustre. The struggle highlights how consumer spending priorities are changing even for well-known ethnic wear players.
Retailers believe the big Indian wedding season could inject fresh momentum into consumer spending and ease the pressure from an ongoing slowdown. With purchases across apparel, jewelry, décor, and services, the rush is seen as a short-term demand boost that may lift sales volumes and improve sentiment for businesses counting on steadier footfall.
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With India’s consumer demand cooling and winter arriving less reliably, brands and retailers are still pushing inventory hard. The strategy bets that a weak season can still spark late demand spikes, but stretched stock and muted sales could squeeze margins fast. The real question: will early caution come, or will the gamble pay off when temperatures finally drop?
GST 2.0 reforms are aimed at fixing GST-related anomalies at the fibre level, cutting costs through yarn and fabric stages, and improving overall garment affordability. By boosting demand at the retail segment—especially products priced under Rs 2,500—the changes are also expected to strengthen export competitiveness for the MMF textile industry.
After disrupting online shopping, many India New Age startups are shifting back to bricks-and-mortar. From Lenskart to Physics Wallah, they’re opening stores to build consumer trust through face-to-face service. The move is increasingly tied to how founders attract fresh investment, suggesting lasting growth may come from a counter, not only clicks.
Bata, a century-old footwear brand that once followed multiple generations through daily life, is struggling as India’s consumers become younger, richer, and more style-led. With changing preferences, the company is racing to reinvent its offerings to win back relevance before competitors and new trends permanently shift the market.
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India’s retail sales grew 10% year-on-year in March, closing out FY2026 on a steady note. Food, apparel, QSR and jewellery led the gains, while consumer durables weakened as shoppers delayed big-ticket purchases. Retailer margins are under pressure from higher energy, logistics and rent costs, even as buyers shop with more purpose.
Lovable Lingerie has emerged as one of the standout performers among newly listed stocks, with shares doubling in value. Traders appear to be positioning for another success story, drawing comparisons to Page Industries, another high-flying stock. The rally has made the company the third-best performer among listings this year, fueling fresh speculation on its next leg of growth.
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