Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral
Croma, India’s trusted omni-channel electronics retailer from the Tata Group, has released its Year-End Consumer Trends 2025, offering a comprehensive look at how Indian consumers upgraded their homes, lifestyles and technology choices over the past year. The findings reflect a decisive shift from price-led purchases to experience-driven, premium and health-conscious buying behaviour across Croma’s nationwide online and offline network.
Smartphones remained central to consumer upgrades, with strong year-on-year growth driven by aspirational trade-ups. One in three smartphones sold fell within the ₹20,000–30,000 premium segment, while nearly one in five devices belonged to the flagship or super-flagship category. Emerging price bands between ₹50,000 and ₹58,000 recorded growth of over 300 percent, highlighting consumers’ growing willingness to invest in advanced technology that blends performance, identity and long-term value. This trend reflects India’s increasingly digital-first mindset, fuelled by content creation, gaming and AI-powered camera experiences.
The computing category also saw a strong premium shift, with laptops recording double-digit growth led by AI-enabled and high-performance devices. Gaming laptops surged by over 25 percent, while ultra-thin non-gaming laptops doubled in sales as consumers sought sleek, portable designs without compromising on power. Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi emerged as key hubs driving this AI-first computing wave, signalling concentrated adoption of next-generation technology across India’s major metros.
Home entertainment witnessed a significant scale-up as Indian households embraced cinema-like experiences at home. Bengaluru led demand for 65-inch televisions, while Mumbai emerged as the top market for ultra-large screens of 75 inches and above. Gurugram stood out as the most future-ready city, recording the highest preference for 8K-ready televisions. Complementing this trend, audio entertainment surged, with Delhi NCR leading demand for immersive sound systems, reinforcing its reputation as a hub for social and in-home entertainment.
Cooling solutions remained resilient across regions, with Delhi and Mumbai nearly equal in overall air conditioner demand. A strong sustainability trend emerged as one in four ACs sold nationwide was a 5-star energy-efficient model, while in Delhi, one in three AC purchases fell into this category. Smart ACs accounted for 32 percent of total AC sales, and North India saw rising demand for all-season ACs that function as heaters while consuming significantly less electricity.
Big-ticket home appliances continued their move up the value curve, with front-load washing machines registering strong double-digit growth led by Bengaluru and Pune. In refrigerators, Delhi topped sales for side-by-side door models, followed by Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad, reflecting demand for larger, high-capacity appliances that support evolving lifestyles.
Health-focused appliances saw notable growth throughout 2025. Air fryer sales rose by nearly 38 percent year-on-year, led by Mumbai, signalling a shift toward healthier cooking habits. Air purifiers, once concentrated in Delhi-NCR, gained traction in Mumbai and Bengaluru, driven by heightened awareness of air quality and indoor health. Water purifiers also recorded strong demand, with Bengaluru emerging as the largest market, followed by Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad, underscoring rising concern around safe drinking water and long-term wellness.
Smart convenience emerged as the fastest-growing trend, with sales of automated and robotic appliances nearly doubling during the year. Bengaluru led the adoption of robotic solutions, positioning itself as India’s emerging robotics capital.
Commenting on the trends, a spokesperson at Infiniti Retail Ltd. noted that Indian consumers are increasingly confident, informed and willing to invest in technology that delivers everyday value, efficiency and improved quality of life. From smartphones and screens to kitchens and cooling, 2025 marked a clear transition toward premium, smart and health-first living across Indian homes.
