e-commerce
Swiggy Instamart’s life-sized pin becomes the ultimate Kumbh landmark
MUMBAI: The Maha Kumbh Mela-a breathtaking convergence of faith, devotion, and, let’s be honest, a logistical nightmare when it comes to keeping track of loved ones. With millions in attendance, finding your way back in the sea of humanity is no easy feat. But worry not! Swiggy Instamart has swooped in with a game-changing solution—turning its life-sized S-pin logo into a one-of-a-kind lost-and-found landmark at Triveni Sangam.
At the heart of the Kumbh, Swiggy Instamart has set up a dedicated stall, ensuring devotees have easy access to essentials-towels, power banks, torches, batteries, and more. Whether you need to charge your phone, light your way, or dry off after a holy dip, Swiggy’s got you covered. The demand has been soaring, with thousands of visitors relying on the stall for last-minute must-haves.
But here’s the real crowd-pleaser: Swiggy Instamart’s signature S-pin installation isn’t just for show—it’s a lifeline. Lost your family in the throng? No worries! Scan the QR code at the pin, save the location, and voilà—you’ll always know where to find your way back. In a place where getting separated is almost a rite of passage, Swiggy Instamart has turned its branding into a practical, tongue-in-cheek solution.
“Bichhad gaye toh Swiggy par milte hain” (Lost? Let’s meet on Swiggy). The cheeky sign at the stall has become an instant hit, giving devotees a reason to smile amidst the spiritual chaos. Not just a convenience hub, the Swiggy Instamart stall has become a conversation starter, a meeting point, and an innovative blend of culture and modernity.
Swiggy Instamart CEO Amitesh Jha shared his excitement about the initiative, “At Swiggy Instamart, we’re always looking for ways to make everyday moments easier for our users. The Maha Kumbh Mela is a deeply significant event, and we wanted to add meaningful value to the experience. By creating a reliable meeting point and ensuring access to essential supplies, we’re making it simpler for visitors to navigate the massive gathering with peace of mind.”
With cultural insight and innovation at its core, Swiggy Instamart has seamlessly integrated itself into one of the world’s most sacred gatherings. Whether it’s helping lost visitors reunite or ensuring they stay connected and prepared, Swiggy Instamart has proven that convenience isn’t just about deliveries—it’s about being there when it matters most.
e-commerce
Visa report tracks rise of India’s affluent, experience-led spending
Affluent base doubles to 130 lakh, travel 58 per cent of elite spends.
MUMBAI: In India’s new luxury playbook, it’s less about owning more and more about living better. A new whitepaper by Visa Consulting and Analytics (VCA) maps a decisive shift in India’s affluent economy, where spending is becoming more intentional, experience-led, and closely tied to personal identity rather than pure income growth.
Titled India’s Affluent Economy 2025–2026, the report draws on a Visa-commissioned Yougov study and VisaNet data across travel, dining, retail and lifestyle categories. The headline number is hard to miss: individuals earning over Rs 10 lakh annually have nearly doubled from 69 lakh to 130 lakh, significantly expanding the country’s discretionary spending base.
But it’s not just about scale, it’s about behaviour. As consumers move up the affluence ladder, discretionary categories are taking a larger share of credit card spends, positioning cards as key enablers of premium, lifestyle-driven consumption.
The geography of wealth is shifting too. Affluence is no longer confined to metros such as Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru, with cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, Jaipur and Lucknow increasingly mirroring metro consumption patterns.
The report highlights a clear pivot from ownership to access. More than 50 per cent of affluent consumers now use cards for elite memberships, while 7 in 10 are drawn to limited-edition drops and curated collections. Increasingly, luxury is defined by seamless access be it concierge-led travel or curated dining where time saved is as valuable as money spent.
Spending patterns reinforce this shift. Among the ultra-elite, travel accounts for 58 per cent of discretionary spends, far outpacing retail and luxury combined at 28 per cent. Cross-border spending penetration stands at 63 per cent, signalling a growing global outlook among India’s affluent.
Closer home, indulgence is becoming routine. Nearly 4 in 5 affluent consumers dine at premium establishments at least three times a year, while 1 in 4 visit luxury venues more than five times annually. Dining spends are also climbing, with Rs 20,000 emerging as a new entry-level benchmark per experience and Rs 50,000 marking premium territory.
Retail, meanwhile, is becoming more selective. Three in four affluent consumers make a high-end purchase at least once a quarter, while one in four shops premium every two weeks. Luxury retail intensity is also rising, with 2 in 5 consumers spending over Rs 5 lakh annually, and a smaller but significant segment exceeding Rs 10 lakh.
Technology and wellness are carving out new roles in this ecosystem. High-end gadgets now see average spends of Rs 60,000 or more per purchase, while ultra-elite consumers are eight times more likely to visit spas and show five times higher engagement with cosmetic stores than non-affluent groups.
The broader takeaway is structural. Affluent consumers are no longer buying products, they are buying ecosystems. Integrated experiences across travel, dining, wellness and payments are becoming central to how this segment lives and spends.
As India’s affluent base expands beyond metros and aligns more closely with global consumption patterns, the real opportunity lies not just in size, but in speed. For brands, the message is clear: relevance will be defined by how early and how seamlessly, they plug into this evolving lifestyle economy.
