Breaking News:  Summer sales dip; early monsoon prompts shift in brand strategy

An early onset of the monsoon this year has caught several summer-centric brands off guard, forcing a rapid pivot in marketing and sales strategies. With rains arriving nearly two weeks ahead of schedule in many parts of the country, brands that traditionally capitalize on the summer heat, from cold beverage makers to air conditioner and ice cream brands, are now grappling with a shorter peak-sales window and shifting consumer behaviour.

According to experts, the brands may be seeing a 10-15% dip in sales this year because of this, especially when compared to a typical May.

Lloyd Mathias, Marketing Expert & Independent Director said, “This year, because the monsoon has arrived early and quickly impacted major cities like Delhi, Bangalore, and Mumbai, there’s definitely been a downward effect on traditional summer categories. These include soft drinks, air conditioners, ice creams, and other heat-driven products. I’d estimate at least a 10% to 15% dip in volumes, especially for soft drink brands, compared to a typical May. It’s a significant hit considering how critical this month usually is for those categories.”

He added that it’s been quite unseasonal and unexpected, so there’s certainly going to be downward pressure, especially in May, which has seen record rainfall across much of the country.

Ice cream and cola brands are expected to bear the brunt of seasonal fluctuations, as their sales rely heavily on impulse purchases, unlike more considered, high-involvement categories like air conditioners and other summer experiences.

That decline is already evident in real-time sales figures. Mother Dairy, for instance, has reported a 10% dip in growth this summer season. “The season started off very well for all our summer centric categories. April 2025 was a strong month, however, weather aberrations starting April end and in May have slightly dampened this momentum. Consequently, our projected growth for summer-centric products has come down by around 10% from what we had anticipated,” said Manish Bandlish, Managing Director, Mother Dairy.

This dip in sales is likely to impact urban markets more significantly than rural ones, primarily due to higher penetration and consumption of summer-centric products like ice creams, colas, and air conditioners in cities. Urban consumers tend to respond more immediately to seasonal cues, and with the early onset of monsoon, footfalls at retail outlets and impulse purchases have already started declining. In contrast, rural markets are less dependent on such discretionary spending and experience a more gradual shift in seasonal buying patterns.

As Rohit Ohri, Founder, Ohriginal explained, “Urban markets, in particular, have witnessed a significant decline in demand for items like carbonated beverages, ice creams, and air conditioners.” For instance, vendors in Trichy reported up to an 85% drop in sales of summer refreshments due to cooler temperatures and increased rainfall. Similarly, retailers in cities like Dehradun experienced a sharp decline in AC sales, with some reporting only 30-35% of last year's sales figures.

Recalibrating marketing strategies?