Croma, India’s trusted omni‑channel electronics retailer from the Tata Group, 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, states a press release.
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.
