Brands
V-Day spend on dining high: Mastercard
MUMBAI: It’s going to be a busy Valentine’s Day. According to the latest Mastercard Consumer Purchasing Priorities Survey, more than half of Indian consumers plan to go out for a meal on Valentine’s Day (55 per cent), and more than a third plan to spend time with their loved ones by going to the movies (42 per cent).
The Mastercard survey throws light on spending patterns that are expected this Valentine’s Day. Among the Indian consumers surveyed, a fifth of (21 per cent) plan to buy a gift for their loved ones on Valentines’ Day, on an average spending close to Rs 1,500. Men and women show love differently when it comes to choosing gifts Among both genders, Indian consumers prefer to play it safe with their choice of gifts with the favorites being flowers (39 per cent), followed by cards (22 per cent) and chocolates (19 per cent), while some other options include jewellery, clothes, leather goods and high end gadgets.
Consumer Purchasing Priorities survey 2016 — http://news.mstr.cd/2l0bXI6
Although flowers reign supreme as the gift of choice, according to the second annual global “Mastercard Love Index” – created by analyzing credit, debit and prepaid card transactions over a three-year period – spending on flowers has decreased by 49 percent from 2014 to 2016, and spending in restaurants has increased by 91 per cent accounting for 55 percent of all transactions.
Mastercard senior VP communications Asia Pacific Georgette Tan said “When it comes to expressing love on Valentine’s Day, Asia Pacific consumers including India are still sticking to traditional favorites including flowers and going out for a nice meal. Celebrated across cultures, Valentine’s Day continues to be one of the biggest spending days around the world, with young and mature consumers enjoying the merriments associated with this special day.”
Meanwhile, people in Asia Pacific still value a personal touch, with 85 percent of transactions around Valentine’s Day made in person. At the same time, the Mastercard Love Index also revealed that technology is helping fire cupid’s arrow with Asia Pacific having seen an 81 percent increase in online sales over the last three years.
Methodology
The global “Mastercard Love Index” study analyzed aggregated transaction information made by credit, debit and prepaid cards across pre-selected merchant categories which took place over a three-year period from 2014 to 2016.
Meanwhile, the survey data for Asia Pacific is based on Consumer Purchasing Priorities for the first half of 2017. 9,123 people in 18 markets across Asia Pacific aged 18-64, were asked about their spending plans for Valentine’s Day 2017. The markets included Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Data collection channels included internet surveys, in-person interviews, as well as telephone interviews, with the questionnaire available in both English and local language, whenever appropriate or necessary. The Index and its accompanying reports do not represent MasterCard’s financial performance.
Mastercard and its Suite of Research Properties
The Mastercard Index suite in Asia Pacific includes the long-running Mastercard Index of Consumer Confidence, as well as the Mastercard Index of Women’s Advancement, Mastercard Index of Financial Literacy, and the Mastercard Index of Global Destination Cities. In addition to the indices, Mastercard’s research properties also include a range of consumer surveys including Online Shopping, Ethical Spending and a series on Consumer Purchasing Priorities (covering Travel, Dining & Entertainment, Education, Money Management, Luxury and General Shopping).
Brands
Zomato film highlights bias faced by women delivery partners
International Women’s Day campaign shines light on everyday stereotypes
MUMBAI: A food delivery may arrive in minutes, but the journey behind it can still carry a few outdated assumptions. This International Women’s Day, Zomato has released a new brand film that shines a light on the subtle but familiar biases faced by women delivery partners during their daily shifts. The campaign nudges viewers to rethink a simple idea that still surprises many people: a delivery partner’s ability has nothing to do with gender.
Instead of focusing on training for delivery partners, the film flips the perspective and gently turns the mirror towards society. Through a series of everyday moments, from collecting orders at restaurants to arriving at a customer’s doorstep, women delivery partners encounter reactions that many recognise all too well. Curious glances, surprised expressions and questions that hint at disbelief follow them along the route.
In a playful cinematic twist, the delivery partners break the fourth wall to address these reactions directly, offering light-hearted responses that quietly challenge the stereotypes.
The campaign also reflects a broader shift in India’s gig economy. As of February 2026, Zomato has more than 3,500 monthly active women delivery partners who collectively deliver over five lakh orders every month.
Eternal chief sustainability officer anjalli ravi kumar said building an inclusive platform economy requires both opportunity and acceptance. She said that as more women step into roles across urban last-mile logistics, the ecosystem around them must evolve to ensure they can work with confidence and dignity.
She added that enabling women to participate safely and comfortably in such roles is essential if India is to move closer to the goal of 70 per cent female workforce participation by 2047 under the broader vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Alongside the campaign, Zomato has been strengthening safety measures for women delivery partners. The company offers a 24 by 7 SOS emergency support system available in more than 800 cities, connecting partners to ambulance services, police and an internal response team when needed.
Women delivery partners also have the option to avoid certain delivery locations between 7 pm and 5 am if they feel unsafe. In addition, city-specific WhatsApp support groups in the top seven cities help women partners communicate easily, raise concerns and seek peer support.
For deliveries to hotels, lodges or guest houses, women partners can complete the order at the reception instead of going up to individual rooms. The delivery partner app also allows them to flag difficult or unsafe areas as black zones. More than 300 such zones have already been identified and temporarily marked unserviceable.
Through the film and these initiatives, Zomato hopes to spark a broader conversation about inclusion in the gig economy, one delivery at a time.
