From penetration to premiumisation: Reshaping India's consumption story

India's next phase of consumer growth is poised to be in the country's Hindi heartland. Across this region, millions of households are moving beyond value purchases to premium products, upgrading across categories with evolving lifestyle choices and buying decisions. Yet, many brands continue to prioritise urban audiences, overlooking a market that is rapidly emerging as one of India's strongest drivers of category growth.

This rapid shift in premiumisation is unfolding across Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, a region home to more than 620 million people. Consumers in this region are no longer just expanding the market, they are driving premiumisation within it. The rising incomes and changing lifestyles are main factors leading to new category upgrades across FMCG, personal care, consumer durables, automobiles and financial services.

This rapidly evolving consumer market termed as ‘Uttam Bharat’ by JioStar, represents a new growth frontier where aspiration is translating into higher-value consumption. For brands looking to capture India's next wave of category growth, the opportunity lies not only in reaching these consumers but in understanding how their preferences are evolving. It is JioStar that caters to this opportunity through unmatched scale, deep consumer insights and strong engagement across the region with its free-to-air (FTA) channels - Star Utsav & COLORS Rishtey. 

FTA General Entertainment channels (GEC) is the most effective medium for reaching the Hindi heartland, the Uttam Bharat region, delivering up to 1.2X higher reach than the leading UGC platform.

.This makes JioStar’s FTA channels - Star Utsav and COLORS Rishtey, as the indispensable, premium advertising ecosystem that bridges brands to this affluent audience in this rapidly evolving region.

Premiumisation Reshaping India's Growth Markets 

TV remains the primary gateway to millions of consumers whose media habits continue to be anchored in FTA entertainment. Within this ecosystem, JioStar's FTA channels have emerged as the market leader, commanding 35% of total FTA viewership, a reach that exceeds the combined audience of the top seven Hindi news channels. For brands looking to maximise visibility and drive measurable business outcomes, FTA television is the foundation of an effective Uttam Bharat strategy.

Across categories such as FMCG, beauty and personal care, consumer durables, BFSI and e-commerce, consumers are increasingly choosing products and services that reflect their rising aspirations and improving purchasing power. This shift is transforming the region from a penetration-led market into one driven by value and premiumisation and JioStar’s FTA channels Star Utsav & COLORS Rishtey are leading the way in reaching the right audience at the right time.

Consumers are steadily moving up the value chain, opting for premium alternatives. Whether it's upgrading to branded personal care products, investing in home appliances, adopting digital financial services or shopping online for luxury brands, the consumer journey is increasingly defined by quality, convenience and lifestyle enhancement rather than affordability alone.

This evolution is also reflected in the performance of leading brands, many of which are reporting faster growth from Tier II and Tier III markets than from traditional metro cities and urban areas. As disposable incomes rise and exposure to brands increases, smaller towns are becoming key contributors to premium category growth across sectors.

The TV Connect

Television continues to dominate media consumption across the Hindi Heartland, making it the most powerful platform for brands looking to connect with consumers in Uttam Bharat. The steady growth of Free-to-Air (FTA) General Entertainment Channels (GECs) highlights this trend. Between 2022 and 2025, monthly reach across Hindi Speaking Markets (HSM) increased from 343 million to 396 million viewers, while the monthly viewing on FTA GEC increased by over 70%. Today, FTA entertainment channels engage nearly 400 million viewers across the Hindi-speaking markets, signalling television's unmatched ability to deliver both scale and sustained audience engagement.

While digital platforms continue to expand, they have not replaced television in the Uttam Bharat region, leaving a significant audience beyond the reach of digital-only campaigns. For advertisers aiming to build broad awareness and maximise reach, FTA television remains the most reliable and effective medium to connect with consumers across the Hindi Heartland.

Next phase of category growth

As India's consumption engine shifts beyond the metros, Uttam Bharat is emerging as the market that will define the next decade of brand growth. The brands that invest early, build relevance and connect with consumers through the right media ecosystem will be best placed to lead the country's next chapter of growth. 

For advertisers and marketers, premiumisation marks a fundamental shift in strategy as the next phase of growth will not be driven solely by adding new consumers, but by understanding how existing consumers are upgrading their choices. Brands that recognise the evolving consumer behaviour and align their offerings based on the choices of the consumers, will be best positioned to capture India's next wave of consumption.