Kolkata malls see record Puja shopping rush on final weekend

Kolkata: Kolkata’s leading malls witnessed a massive rush of shoppers over the last weekend before Durga Puja, with footfall and sales touching new highs as festive fervour reached its peak.

At South City Mall, management said both visitor turnout and sales figures surpassed all previous records, underscoring the scale of this year’s Puja shopping. “As we head into the final weekend before Puja, South City Mall has witnessed record-breaking footfall and sales, setting the tone for an extraordinary festive season,” said Amit Kumar, executive director of the mall.

The mall unveiled its Puja pandal in time for the season and expanded its brand portfolio, adding Celio, Skechers, Nykaa, Bluestone, Fizzy Goblet and Lovechild by Masaba to its line-up. Apparel continued to be the top-performing category, but Kumar pointed out a striking trend: food and beverage outlets now account for more than 30 per cent of festive sales. “This reflects how consumers increasingly see South City Mall not just as a shopping destination, but as a vibrant social and leisure hub where shopping, dining, and celebrations converge,” he said.

Acropolis Mall also reported brisk business. Subhadip Basu, corporate general manager – Retail and Hospitality at Merlin Group, said the penultimate weekend before Puja drew around 20,000 visitors on Saturday, with Sunday’s footfall expected to touch nearly 30,000. “Many of our patrons are completing their Puja shopping, especially those who could not do so earlier.

We are anticipating a strong turnout next week as several new films are scheduled for release. With last-minute Puja shoppers and moviegoers, we expect heavy footfall in the coming days leading up to Puja, as well as next weekend,” Basu said.

With Puja just days away, the surge signals a booming festive season for Kolkata’s retail sector.