Out-of-home F&B segment sales in volume has been lower than previous year but has been more or less on par in terms of value
Out-of-home sales volume for food and beverage sector dipped by 8.6 per cent in the April 2025-March 2026 period, while value growth stood at 0.5 per cent, according to estimates by Worldpanel by Numerator. The report noted that the growing focus on healthier options and group consumption occasions are reshaping the dynamics of out-of-home f&b sales.“Out-of-home F&B segment sales in volume has been lower than previous year but has been more or less on par in terms of value. This is due to the general tightness witnessed in consumer spending during this period. When consumers are looking for ways to reduce expenditure, one of the things they tend to do is reduce their out-of-home spending,” said K Ramakrishnan, MD- South Asia, Worldpanel by Numerator. The dip in volumes was reflected across metros, mini-metros, NCCS A, B and C consumer cohorts.Categories such as juice-based drinks, biscuits and cookies and ice-creams were seen struggling to drive growth in the out-of-home channel during this period. At the same time, the report noted that categories such as chocolates, salty snacks and energy and sports drinks continued to witness growth in value, occasion and pack growth.increase in purchase occasionsTalking about the broad opportunities in the out-of-home food and beverage space, Ramakrishnan said, “Out-of-home consumption appears to be particularly high in the last week of the month. Purchase occasions also increase during this period. The increase is visible across segments, but the focus is particularly strong among lower SECs, younger consumers and consumers in bigger cities. This creates a broad hypothesis that there may be some leftover budgets at the end of the month that consumers are spending during the last week.’The report also pointed out that group consumption occasions are on the rise while solo consumption occasions have witnessed a drop. This trend is particularly pronounced in the South, followed by the West and then the North. “ Typically, one might assume that if larger groups are consuming together, larger packs would be preferred. However, that is not what is happening. Groups are also consuming smaller packs, but in larger numbers,” Ramakrishnan pointed out.Focus on healthier foodAt the same time, rising focus on healthier food options at home has also begun to reflect in out-of-home consumption trends too. Categories such as dark chocolates and healthy snacks witnessed sales volume growth in the range of 50 to 53 per cent in the out-of-home channel in the 12 months period ended March 26.“Different brands have already begun to utilise these opportunities. Some are focusing on health, while others are building their propositions around group consumption. The weekly opportunity is more directly relevant to communication and media scheduling, and brands are likely to increasingly explore this as a way of reaching consumers at the right time,” said Ramakrishnan.Published on August 13, 2026
