Out-of-home F&B volume dips 8.6%, value rises 0.5% in FY26

Imagine you sometimes buy snacks and drinks when you are out with your family.

A company that studies what people buy found that people bought roughly 8.6 percent fewer snacks and drinks outside their homes last year.

Even so, the money people spent on these treats stayed almost the same, growing only 0.5 percent.

That happened because many people were trying to spend less, and eating out is one thing they cut back on.

Some foods still did well, like chocolates, salty snacks, and energy drinks, while juice drinks, cookies, and ice-cream struggled.

People also seemed to care more about healthy choices, as dark chocolate and healthy snacks saw sales grow by about 50 to 53 percent.

New habits appeared too — people are buying snacks in groups with friends or family more often, especially in southern India.

Instead of buying one big pack, groups buy many smaller packs.

Buying also spikes in the last week of the month, when people may have leftover budgets.

Companies are watching these habits so they can advertise at the right time.