Festive Spending 2026: 53% Indians Say Family Finances Worse, CVoter Survey Finds – ‘Boom, But No Boom’ | Today’s news

Indian consumers remain keen to shop, spend and travel during the upcoming festive season, but concerns about family finances act as a dampener on high discretionary spending on airfare, the latest nationwide survey has concluded.

Lower-income families are deeply concerned about their financial situation, while higher-income families remain optimistic, according to a CVoter Snap survey conducted before the holidays.

Read also | Top brands like Samsung, LG, Whirlpool and more are reducing refrigerator prices!

The most striking finding of the survey is the extent of financial anxiety among Indian households. More than half of the respondents, i.e. 53.6%, stated in the survey that their family’s financial situation is worse than a year ago. Only 11.6% reported an improvement, while 27.1% said their situation remained unchanged, the survey said.

The CVOTER survey, which took place on 28-29 September 2026 among 2,051 respondents, captures consumer purchase and spending intentions in apparel, home appliances, electronics, vehicles and jewelry, home renovations, holiday shopping, payment preferences, shopping channels and travel.

The Center for Voting Opinions and Trends in Election Research, or CVoter, is an Indian international polling agency based in Delhi.

“The Difference Between Town and Country”

The difference between the city and the countryside is equally telling. While 40.6% of urban respondents reported worsening finances, this proportion rose to 59.2% among rural respondents.

The outlook for the coming year gives little indication of a general recovery in consumer confidence. Only 24.4% expect an improvement in household finances, while 38% expect a deterioration. Another 24% expect their financial situation to remain unchanged, and 13.6% are unsure.

The strain is particularly pronounced among lower-income households. As many as 63.2% of respondents in the lower income group (LIG) said their financial situation had worsened, compared to 26.3% of respondents in the higher income group (HIG).

The clothes and sweets retain their festive appeal

Despite financial concerns, traditional holiday shopping remains on the agenda for many households. For centuries, shopping for new clothes has been a key family activity every holiday season.

More than half of the respondents, i.e. 53.6%, stated in the survey that their family’s financial situation is worse than a year ago. Only 11.6% reported an improvement, while 27.1% said their situation remained unchanged, the survey said.(CVoter)

About 45% of respondents said they have already bought or are planning to buy new clothes for at least one family member. Of these, 16.9% intended to buy clothes for the whole family, 20.4% specifically for children, 6.2% for themselves and 4.8% for other family members.

Read also | 47% Indians Say Iran Has Won Middle East War: C-Voter Survey

However, 45.4% said they did not plan to buy new clothes, underscoring the constraints affecting household budgets.

Traditional sweets also seem to have an edge over chocolates. Almost 33% of respondents said they were most likely to buy sweets from their local sweet shop, while another 8.7% intended to buy both sweets and chocolate. Thus, traditional sweets have a significantly greater role than imported chocolates, which are reported by only 3.1%. Another 4.3% is made up of locally produced chocolates. This suggests a voice for local sentiment.

The findings suggest that festive spending continues, but households are favoring familiar purchases over less essential indulgences.

Big ticket purchases are on the backburner

Consumers are cautious when it comes to larger purchases.

Only 21.5% of respondents said they have already bought or plan to buy kitchen appliances, while 18.5% said the same for electronic items. About 22% said plans included a two-wheeler, car, gold or jewelry or more than one of these categories, the survey said.

Home improvement projects are also seeing mixed demand. About 39% said they had already renovated their homes or planned to do so, including 14.6% of those who had completed the work and 24.5% of those who intended to, according to the survey. Half of the respondents, i.e. 50.2%, said that they do not plan any painting, tempering or other renovation work.

Payment preferences further illustrate the cautious mood. While 32.2% planned to pay in full at the time of purchase, 12.8% expected to use equivalent monthly installments (EMIs) or other repayment options. Another 14.7% said they could combine full payment with installments. 32.1% also said they were not planning any major purchases.

The CVOTER survey, which took place on 28-29 September 2026 among 2,051 respondents, captures consumer purchase and spending intentions in apparel, home appliances, electronics, vehicles and jewelry, home renovations, holiday shopping, payment preferences, shopping channels and travel.(AI generated)

The findings suggest that financing options remain relevant for consumers who buy in large volumes, while a substantial proportion of households choose to avoid such spending altogether.

Domestic travel plans remain strong

Travel continues to be an important part of the festive season, although a significant proportion of households are staying put.

Around 47.5% of respondents said they were considering a family vacation or trip. Local or nearby destinations accounted for 15.7%, while 15.1% planned a religious or pilgrimage trip, according to the CVoter survey.

Read also | October 15 UPI MDR: Will Diwali shopping bills go up?

Another 5.1% intended to travel to another state, 1.7% were considering an international trip, and 5.3% had plans but had yet to decide on a destination. At the same time, 47.5% said that they are not planning a family trip.

The data suggests that demand for holiday travel is likely to focus on domestic, nearby and religious destinations rather than international holidays.

CVoter survey highlights

-53.6% state that their family’s financial situation has worsened over the past year.

-More than 35% plan to spend less this holiday season than last year, while less than 10% expect to spend more.

-45.4% do not plan to buy new clothes for the family.

-52.1% prefer shopping at local or nearby markets, while only 5.6% prefer online shopping.

-47.5% are considering a family trip, with domestic and religious destinations leading the way.