Archive · 13 Aug 2026
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.
Out-of-home food and beverage sales volume fell 8.6% while value grew 0.5% during April 2025-March 2026, per Worldpanel by Numerator.
The volume dip is attributed to tight consumer spending, with consumers reducing out-of-home expenditure.
Chocolates, salty snacks, and energy and sports drinks grew in value, while juice-based drinks, biscuits and cookies, and ice-creams struggled.
Dark chocolates and healthy snacks posted 50-53% sales volume growth in the out-of-home channel over the 12 months ending March 2026.
Group consumption occasions are rising while solo consumption is dropping, a trend most pronounced in the South, and groups are buying smaller packs in larger numbers.
- Who
- Indian consumers and brands in the out-of-home food and beverage market, with analysis by Worldpanel by Numerator and commentary from MD-South Asia K Ramakrishnan.
- What
- Out-of-home F&B sales volume declined 8.6% while value grew by just 0.5% in FY26, reflecting tight consumer spending.
- When
- During the April 2025 to March 2026 period, with the report published on August 13, 2026.
- Where
- India, across metros, mini-metros and NCCS A, B and C consumer cohorts; group-consumption trends were strongest in the South, followed by the West and then the North.
- Why
- Consumers tightened spending and reduced out-of-home purchases, while growing interest in healthier options and group consumption reshaped demand.
- Volume change
- -8.6% in out-of-home F&B sales
- Value growth
- 0.5%
- Period
- April 2025 - March 2026 (FY26)
- Report source
- Worldpanel by Numerator
- Growing categories
- Chocolates, salty snacks, energy and sports drinks
- Struggling categories
- Juice-based drinks, biscuits and cookies, ice-creams
- Healthy snacks growth
- 50-53% volume growth for dark chocolates and healthy snacks
- Report published
- August 13, 2026