Insights from industry leaders highlight trends, consumer behaviour, and festive opportunities in Q-commerce.
Publicis Commerce India and MMA Global India have unveiled The Quick Commerce Playbook India 2025, a comprehensive guide designed to help marketers navigate growth and profitability in India’s fastest-growing retail channel.
The playbook was launched at an MMA Global India event in Mumbai, attended by Anupriya Acharya, CEO, Publicis Groupe South Asia; Lalatendu Das, CEO, Publicis Media South Asia; and Moneka Khurana, Country Head & Board Member, MMA Global India. A panel discussion with industry leaders decoded key findings from the report.
Quick Commerce has expanded rapidly, growing from $1.5 billion in 2022 to nearly $7 billion in 2024, a 4.5x increase in just two years. The sector is projected to grow at ~40% CAGR through 2030, outpacing e-retail, which is expected to grow at ~18% CAGR. Yet, 70% of brands surveyed say Q-commerce remains less profitable than other channels, highlighting a growth-profitability paradox.
Key insights from the Playbook include:
- Visibility drives sales: 89% of consumers view only the first product page fold.
- Timing matters: Staples peak 6–9 am & 6–9 pm; snacks surge afternoons & late evenings.
- Shorter stocking cycles: SKUs stocked for 3–7 days demand agile supply chains.
- Collaboration advantage: Strong brand-platform partnerships improve shelf presence & adoption.
- Beyond discounting: Success depends on supply chain agility, portfolio optimisation, and retail media efficiency.
Festive season trends:
- Speed (50%) is the top purchase driver, followed by discounts (31.6%).
- Weekly festive deals (64.9%) outperform daily offers.
- Impulse hampers (57.1%) and curated premium packs (34.3%) lead gifting.
- Trust in premium categories rises to 72% with product guarantees.
- Gifting (67.6%) and FMCG (64.9%) see the strongest festive growth.
Lalatendu Das said, “Quick Commerce has become part of daily life, but profitability is a challenge. The playbook provides strategies on demand forecasting, supply chain, and retail media to succeed beyond discounts.”
Moneka Khurana added, “Quick Commerce is a $7B opportunity for brands, but readiness lags. Winning brands treat it as a full-funnel growth engine. This resource empowers marketers to drive relevance, loyalty, and business impact.”
