Shopping spree continues in malls ahead of Diwali festivities

Kolkata: The festive shopping rush that began ahead of Durga Puja is showing no signs of slowing down, with Kolkata’s leading malls continuing to witness robust footfall and strong consumer sentiment ahead of Dhanteras and Diwali.

At South City Mall, the momentum from the Puja season has seamlessly extended into the next round of festivities. “Durga Puja was an exceptional season for us, marking one of our most successful campaigns to date. However, the festive spirit still continues even after Dussehra,” said Amit Kumar, executive director of South City Mall.

He added that key categories such as jewellery, electronics, watches, and cosmetics are seeing strong traction. “Brands like Tanishq, CaratLane, Mia and others in the jewellery segment continue to draw festive shoppers, while electronics brands like Samsung and Imagine are also performing well,” Kumar said. The recent addition of Bluestone, Nykaa and LoveChild by Masaba has further widened the mall’s brand portfolio, adding to the festive buzz.

At Acropolis Mall too, the mood remains upbeat. “After a spell of heavy rainfall in September, the festive shopping momentum picked up nearly two weeks before Durga Puja and has continued since. We expect the positive retail sentiment to sustain through Dhanteras, Diwali and Bhai Dooj,” said Subhadip Basu, corporate GM – Retail & Hospitality, Merlin Group.

Basu noted that ethnic wear and jewellery are driving sales this season, with the jewellery segment growing by 13.47 per cent and ethnic wear by 10 per cent compared to last year. Brands such as BlueStone, Mia by Tanishq, CaratLane, Senco Gold and Diamonds, Manyavar, W, Aurelia and FabIndia are leading the surge.

High footfall is also being reported at Acropolis Mall’s F&B and fine dining outlets, with the weekend expected to draw more crowds, boosted further by the release of Kantara.