According to the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Global Consumer Radar report released on December 15, 2025, India leads the world in **Generative AI (GenAI)** adoption for shopping, with **62%** of consumers using GenAI tools and **64%** relying on them for brand and product decisions – higher than work- use (63%).

As Indian consumers enter 2026, **60%** plan to increase household spending in the next six months, mainly driven by automobiles and mobile devices. This optimism persists even amid a global recession, with more than 60% expecting favorable conditions to continue and only about one-third fearing unemployment or recession.

Inflation is a major reason for this projected increase, as **69%** of people attribute the rising expenses to rising prices of essential and non-essential items. Only **17%** believe that global conflicts or political events will hinder India’s growth, compared to more than 60% in the UK, France and Germany.

Parul Bajaj, BCG’s India leader for marketing, sales and pricing, urged brands to move beyond SEO to focus on “answer engine optimization” with trustworthy, comparison-ready content as GenAI is changing shopping patterns.

Kanika Sanghi, partner and director at BCG, noted strong confidence despite international challenges. The report also highlights sustainability awareness (80% take it into account when shopping) but low willingness to pay a premium (9-15%) as well as brand inertia – **57%** are open to new options, yet **84%** stick with familiar options.