Mapping India’s Growing Inclination Towards Health and Fitness — Flipkart Shares Latest Trends

by Shrutee K

Three months into 2023, people across the country continue to prioritise their mental and physical wellbeing to make healthier life choices. Flipkart, India’s homegrown e-commerce marketplace shares some interesting trends that reflect what is on Indian consumers’ mind at the start of the year.

Since 2020, the fashion category has witnessed a 30% growth in athleisure wear overall, while tracksuits alone have witnessed a 200% uptick in growth. The country’s inclination towards living a healthier life led to categories such as fitness, personal care, athleisure and grooming to emerge as the most sought-after, for people across India. The fitness category witnessed a 10% YoY growth in comparison to January 2022, while athleisure and activewear emerged as the new “closet essentials” with customers increasingly prioritising comfort and convenience at the core of their fashion choices.

Flipkart also launched a dedicated space for fitness enthusiasts on its app - the Sports Hub, in its endeavor to create a one-stop shop for all things active, enabling a convenient shopping experience for customers seeking a healthy way of life. The store recorded a growing demand for fitness accessories including Dumbbells, Yoga Mats, Gym Accessories, Shakers and Skipping Ropes. The demand for Cross-Trainers also grew by 20%.

Consumer adoption of the Virtual Try-On and 3D Augmented Reality experiences grew by 13% and 25% respectively, which made shopping for athleisure a more interesting experience.

What customers are searching for:

The top-searched keywords on Flipkart through January and February 2023 included cycles, football, badminton, treadmills, dumbbells, t-shirts, shorts, hoodies, tracksuits, joggers and co-ord sets. Shoppers increasingly chose lycra as a preferred fabric and opted for sweatproof and all-weather resistant sportswear. With the upcoming IPL season  continuing to keep people on their toes, celebrity and team merchandise were observed to be some of the popular choices. Overall, the athleisure segment witnessed a 30% year-on-year growth on Flipkart with homegrown brands topping the demand chart.

Brand love all the way:

International fitness brands emerged as popular choices owing to their expansive product portfolios and quirky collaborations. Among Indian brands, celebrity owned merchandise witnessed heightened demand which were leveraged through technological innovations like live commerce and interactive launches on the platform. Moreover, Tier 3 cities in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar clocked the highest demand followed by metros amongst growing brand consciousness across India.