eNews
Four out of every five readers look for festive offers in the newspaper
Mumbai: In the age of digital, consumers still look to The Times of India group publications for brand and sale offers re-iterating the fact that the print medium is still the best for discovery. And the festive season is no exception. With the stock markets at all-time high and many categories seeing healthy growth, brands are banking on the festive season to achieve their best performance of the year.
In its third edition, “Times Wishlist” was back this year asking the most important questions for the festive season. “Times Wishlist” is a one-of-a-kind campaign that asks consumers questions about their purchasing behaviour during the festive period.
This year was our most comprehensive analysis yet, with questions about not just what they want to buy but when they buy, where, and what sources influence their decisions. Emerging as the most popular choice, four out of five readers turn to newspapers for festive deals and offers and three in four prefer to shop in physical stores.
A whopping 56 per cent of readers are looking to buy consumer durables this year, while 48 per cent are in the market for mobile phones. 33 per cent of people looking to buy mobile phones, intend to spend over Rs. 40,000 on the same. More than half of the readers who want to buy a car are planning to spend more than Rs. 20 lakhs.
There is also a lot of excitement around the regional festivals, with around 69 per cent of readers in Kolkata looking forward to Durga Puja making festive purchases, while over 35 per cent in Ahmedabad will be shopping during Navratri.
It is now up to the brands to use these valuable insights to make their move, as there is a captive audience waiting.
eNews
Swiggy sees record orders during India vs New Zealand T20 final
Chicken biryani tops match-day menu as fans order 7,500 times per minute at peak.
MUMBAI: India’s T20 final didn’t just break stumps, it broke Swiggy’s delivery records, proving cricket fans celebrate victories with plates, not just flags. Swiggy, India’s leading on-demand convenience platform, reported a sharp spike in food orders during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final between India and New Zealand. On 8 March 2026, overall orders rose 23.2 per cent year-on-year compared with the same date in 2025, driven by fans turning living rooms into mini stadiums complete with match-day feasts.
Key highlights from the evening:
- Orders during peak match hours (7–10 pm) were 2.1 times higher than pre-match levels.
- The highest order rate hit 7,500 orders per minute at 19:45.
- Chicken biryani reigned supreme as the most-ordered dish, followed by masala dosa, chicken fried rice, garlic breadsticks and paneer butter masala.
While metros such as Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad led volumes, the cricketing fever spread nationwide. Among emerging cities, Thiruvananthapuram, Surat and Rajkot recorded the strongest order growth. Smaller markets including Shillong, Agartala and Port Blair also showed significant appetite, underlining the expanding footprint of quick-commerce food delivery across India.
The surge reflects a growing trend of pairing major sporting events with doorstep delivery, turning big matches into shared, convenient celebrations. In a night where every boundary mattered, Swiggy proved the real MVP might just be the delivery partner who kept the snacks and the vibes flowing without missing a single wicket.
