Aug 10: With Raksha Bandhan falling on August 28, 2026, the festival is becoming an increasingly important occasion for India’s gifting and retail businesses. While Rakhis and sweets remain at the heart of the celebration, consumers are now looking at a wider range of gifts, including personalised hampers, jewellery, gold and silver, fashion, beauty, wellness products, electronics and lifestyle items.
The 2025 festive season offers useful insights into how these preferences are changing, particularly as more consumers turn to e-commerce and quick-commerce platforms.
Online Gifting Gains Momentum
A primary industry analysis by Unicommerce, based on 18 million order items processed during the seven-day pre-Raksha Bandhan sales period in 2025, recorded a 24% year-on-year increase in e-commerce order volumes and a 27% rise in GMV compared with the corresponding period in 2024.
The data also showed demand across a wider range of categories, including fashion accessories, jewellery, makeup, home décor, food, apparel and wellness-related products.
This indicates that Raksha Bandhan is increasingly becoming a multi-category shopping occasion rather than one centred only on Rakhis and sweets.
Personalised Gifts Gain Popularity
Personalisation is becoming an important part of the Raksha Bandhan gifting experience.
According to MyFlowerTree’s 2025 Raksha Bandhan update, the platform reported a 60% year-on-year increase in online Rakhi gifting orders. Demand for customised gift combinations increased by 75%, while orders from Tier II and Tier III cities doubled. Same-day deliveries also rose by 85%.
Personalised mugs, chocolates, greeting cards, photo gifts and customised Rakhi combinations allow consumers to add a personal touch to their gifts.
These figures are based on MyFlowerTree’s own platform data and therefore should not be treated as an industry-wide estimate.
Smaller Cities Become Important Markets
The Unicommerce data also points to growing online demand from smaller cities. Tier III cities accounted for around 35% of order volumes, while Tier II cities recorded approximately 41% growth in order volumes during the period studied.
For gifting brands, this creates an opportunity to reach consumers beyond India’s major metropolitan markets. E-commerce is giving customers in smaller cities access to a wider selection of personalised and premium products.
Quick Commerce Changes Last-Minute Gifting
Quick commerce is also becoming part of the festive gifting ecosystem.
Industry reporting around Raksha Bandhan 2025 showed that sweets recorded around a 12-fold increase in demand, while dry fruits saw demand rise threefold. Chocolates and festive gift boxes recorded more than a fivefold increase.
Myntra’s M-Now service also reported a 1.5-times increase in orders during the run-up to Raksha Bandhan, with fragrances, handbags, watches and beauty kits seeing around three times growth in demand over the previous month.
The trend highlights the growing importance of speed and convenience, particularly for last-minute festive purchases.
Gold and Silver Gifts Add a Traditional-Value Element
Gold and silver are also finding a place in the evolving Raksha Bandhan gifting basket. Gold coins, lightweight jewellery, silver coins, idols, bracelets and personalised silver keepsakes can appeal to consumers looking for gifts with both sentimental and lasting value.
However, high precious-metal prices are influencing purchasing decisions.
The World Gold Council’s Gold Demand Trends: Full Year 2025 reported that India’s gold jewellery demand declined 24% year-on-year to 430.5 tonnes, while the value of jewellery demand reached a record US$49 billion. The report attributed the decline in volumes partly to higher gold prices.
At the same time, India’s gold investment demand increased 17% to 280.4 tonnes in 2025, showing continued interest in gold despite elevated prices.
For Raksha Bandhan gifting, this could create demand for lighter gold jewellery, smaller gold coins and silver gifts across different price points.
Premium Gifting Expands Beyond Jewellery
The gifting basket is also moving into lifestyle categories such as fragrances, watches, handbags, beauty products, wellness products and electronics.
Unicommerce data showed a 27% increase in average order value for jewellery, from ₹905 to ₹1,150. Beauty, wellness and personal-care products recorded a 21% increase in average order value, from ₹185 to ₹225 during the period studied.
This suggests that some consumers are willing to spend more on gifts that combine personal appeal with everyday use.
The Rakhi Category Is Evolving
Even the traditional Rakhi is changing. Designer Rakhis, personalised name Rakhis, bracelet-style Rakhis and Bhaiya-Bhabhi or Lumba Rakhi sets are giving consumers more choices.
Personalisation can turn a traditional Rakhi into a more individual gift through names, photographs, messages and customised packaging.
For brands, combining traditional elements with contemporary designs could help attract younger consumers.
Convenience Becomes Part of the Gifting Experience
The rise of online shopping, same-day delivery and quick commerce shows that convenience is becoming almost as important as the product itself.
This is particularly relevant for siblings living in different cities. Digital platforms make it possible to order personalised gifts, arrange delivery and celebrate the occasion despite the distance.
For retailers, product availability, easy ordering, fast delivery and reliable fulfilment will therefore remain important factors during Raksha Bandhan 2026.
What Could Drive Raksha Bandhan Gifting in 2026?
Based on the available 2025 industry data, several categories are likely to remain relevant:
- Personalised gifts and hampers
- Gold and silver gifts
- Jewellery and fashion accessories
- Sweets, chocolates and dry fruits
- Beauty and wellness products
- Fragrances and watches
- Electronics and lifestyle products
- Digital gift cards
- Quick-commerce purchases
- Same-day and express delivery
- Premium and sustainable packaging
The strongest opportunities are likely to be products that combine emotional value, personalisation, usefulness and convenience.
A Larger Opportunity for the Gifting Industry
Raksha Bandhan 2026 is likely to reflect a combination of tradition and changing consumer behaviour. Rakhis and sweets will remain central to the celebration, but the wider gifting market is expanding into personalised products, jewellery, gold and silver, beauty, wellness, fashion, food and electronics.
For businesses, the opportunity lies in creating a gifting experience rather than simply selling a product. Personalisation, presentation, value, convenience and timely delivery can all influence the consumer’s final choice.
The 2025 industry figures already point towards stronger digital participation and a broader gifting basket. As Raksha Bandhan approaches on August 28, 2026, these trends could further shape India’s festive retail and gifting landscape.