MAM
Kantar report unveils India’s latest trends on health and wellness
MUMBAI – Kantar released its ‘Health and Wellness in India’ report today, revealing significant shifts in consumer behaviour and preferences. Based on Kantar’s ‘India in Search’ report, which curates 2024 Google search data, this comprehensive report delves into the Health & Wellness category, highlighting emerging trends and key areas of interest shaping the future of health and wellness in the country.
Covering 15 key topics, the Health and Wellness in India report delves into various aspects of health and wellness, including Nutrients & Supplements, Skin Health, Physical Fitness, Weight Management, Cognitive & Mental Health, Women’s Health, Gut Health, Alternative Medicine, Sleep, Immune Health, Hydration, Lifestyle Choices, Advanced Medicine, Detoxification, and Longevity.
Whether it is about shaping a brand, building a category, or driving marketing strategy, the emerging wellness trends offer a powerful lens into what matters most to Indian consumers today. By tapping into what India is searching for, marketers can unlock fresh opportunities to evolve their brand’s relevance and impact. Here are some key findings:
1. Nutrients & Supplements: 2.7M searches for Vitamin B12. 54 per cent growth YoY for Vitamin B12 rich foods.
2. Skin Health: 30 per cent growth in searches for Sensitive Skin compared to the previous year.
3. Physical Fitness: Walking and low-intensity fitness reclaiming space with 121K–89K+ searches for “walk”, “walking shoes”, “brisk walk”, and even tools like “walking pad”.
4. Weight Management: GLP1 Drug-linked searches like Ozempic (+216 per cent), Zepbound (+943 per cent), Tirzepatide (+188 per cent), and Mounjaro (+94 per cent) reflect mainstream adoption of medical-grade solutions
5. Cognitive Health: Searches for Cortisol saw a 59 per cent growth overall this year.
6. Women’s Health: Mood and Menstruation raise curiosity with “follicular phase mood” (+357 per cent), “luteal phase symptoms” (+99 per cent), and “4 phases of menstrual cycle and moods” (+145 per cent) all seeing positive growth.
7. Gut Health: Common digestive discomfort issues like bloating (58K) and acidity (47K) saw an increase in interest.
8. Alternative Medicine: Homeopathy clinics searches are on the rise: “homeo shop near me” (+32 per cent), “homeo medical shop,” “homeopathy near me” (+48 per cent)
9. Sleep: Searches for Melatonin in various formats like spray, gummies, tablets etc. were 4.5M and grew over the year at 27 per cent.
10. Lifestyle choices: Sugar free options and sugar substitutes were searched 7.4M times, a 14 per cent increase compared to 2023.
The top 5 key trends that emerge are:
1. Function-first wellness: The pursuit of visible outcomes
In a significant trend, consumers are increasingly focusing on goal-driven health, with a notable rise in searches related to skincare, weight management, and workouts. The pursuit of wellness is now measured, optimised, and outcome-based, as evidenced by the 26.6 million searches, reflecting a 39 per cent growth. Key insights reveal a surge in interest for products like collagen for skin health, melatonin for better sleep, and pre-workout supplements for enhanced energy.
2. Science-framed self-care: Clinical & conscious betterment
In a growing trend, health is being approached with a clinical and conscious mindset, treating it more like a protocol rather than a preference. This shift is reflected in the 14.6 million searches, showing a 13 per cent growth. Consumers are increasingly interested in GLP-1 weight loss drugs, cognitive supplements, and hormonal tracking. These searches indicate a rising demand for scientifically backed self-care solutions that prioritise clinical efficacy and conscious betterment.
3. Inner Health = Outer Power: Transformations from the Inside Out: People are increasingly linking nutrition, gut health, and immunity to beauty, weight management, mood, and even long-term aging. This trend is highlighted by the 14.5 million searches, showing a 15 per cent growth. There is a sharp surge in queries around biotin, collagen, and multivitamins for skin and hair health, indicating that wellness begins within and radiates outward.
4. Daily systems & cycle care: Regulating through routines
Health is becoming habitual, rhythmic, and tech-assisted, with consumers syncing to cycles, tracking hydration, and sticking to morning rituals. This trend is reflected in the 9.9 million searches, showing a 9 per cent growth. High search volumes for terms like “menstrual cycle” and “periods” underscore the importance of daily systems and cycle care. Women in India are moving from passive consumers of reproductive care to active, data-seeking participants in their health journeys.
5. Natural systems, modern lenses: Reinterpretation of tradition through science: Natural care is undergoing a modern relabelling, where precision meets plants. This trend is evident in the 8.7 million searches, showing a 17 per cent growth. From Ayurveda and adaptogens to detox teas and bio hacks, consumers are increasingly turning to traditional systems reinterpreted through a scientific lens. Searches for “Ayurveda,” “homeopathy,” and “acupuncture” are growing, indicating a blend of tradition and modernity in wellness practices.
Kantar MD & chief client officer, South Asia, Insights Division, Soumya Mohanty Kantar, commented: “The health and wellness landscape in India is undergoing a remarkable transformation. Our report highlights the growing importance of personalized and functional wellness solutions. Brands that can effectively address these evolving consumer needs will be well-positioned to lead in this dynamic market. By leveraging these trends and consumer preferences, brands can create targeted and effective marketing strategies to engage with their audience and drive growth.”
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
