# Group dining share rises to 43%, solo falls to 23%: Kantar 2026-08-13T22:50:19+00:00 | Business & Economy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets A new report by Worldpanel by Numerator (Kantar) shows Indians are shifting out-of-home food and beverage consumption towards group occasions and healthier products, but overall volumes are shrinking. The share of consumption among groups of five or more has jumped to 43% from 34% two years ago, while solo consumption dropped to 23% from 29%. Total packaged food and beverage volumes fell 8.6% in the last year. Consumers are becoming more selective, not cutting back on occasions altogether. The report also found out-of-home consumption spikes in the final week of the month, especially among younger and less affluent households. Healthier snacks, drinks and sports beverages are among the fastest-growing categories. Danone India MD Shashi Ranjan said the company is focusing on unmet nutritional needs rather than expanding existing categories. ## Coverage - economictimes.indiatimes.com - retail.economictimes.indiatimes.com Tags: consumer trends, Food consumption, Group dining, health, Out-of-home dining Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/indians-eating-out-more-in-groups-solo-dining-declines/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/indians-eating-out-more-in-groups-solo-dining-declines/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.