New Delhi: India’s consumers are entering 2026 with 60 per cent of them planning to increase spending in the next six months, along with rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) for shopping, a report said on Monday. The report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) said that 60 per cent of Indian households expect to increase spending over the next six months, led by automobiles and mobile devices.
India leads the world in GenAI use for shopping, with 62 per cent of consumers have used GenAI tools in shopping, with 64 per cent relying on them for brand and product decisions, it said. Over 60 per cent of Indian consumers anticipate continued economic optimism while only about one third fear rising unemployment or an economic downturn.
The consultancy said inflation is a major driver for higher spending, with 69 per cent citing rising prices of essentials and non‑essentials. Parul Bajaj, India Leader-Marketing, Sales and Pricing Practice, BCG, said brands must think beyond SEO and do answer engine optimisation with structured, trustworthy and comparison-ready content.
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As more people apply GenAI to shopping than even to work, India is emerging as one of the most advanced markets globally in how technology shapes consumption, he added. Kanika Sanghi, Partner and Director, BCG, said that “even as many global markets are seeing softening, Indian consumers continue to show confidence, with 60 per cent expecting to increase household spending over the next six months”.
Only 17 per cent consumers believe that recent global conflicts or political events will slow down India’s growth. In contrast, this number is over 60 per cent for consumers in UK, France and Germany.
While about eight in 10 consumers consider climate change or sustainability when buying, only 9–15 per cent is willing to pay more for sustainable options. The report also noted inertia to test new brands as 57 per cent say they are open to new brands but 84 per cent ultimately stick with familiar choices.
