National News

Retail Gold Sales Drop 25% Amid Rising Prices, Lightweight Jewelry in Demand

Published

1 year ago

March 20, 2025

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A 4% rise in gold prices in March has led to a significant 25% decline in retail gold sales at jewelers and a 60% drop in Zaveri Bazaar. Indian families with upcoming weddings are feeling the pinch of higher gold prices, turning to lighter, lower-carat jewelry to meet bridal jewelry demands. Despite this, demand is expected to pick up during Akshay Tritiya in April, though lightweight jewelry remains the preferred choice.

Gold prices saw a near-4% increase in the first half of March, bringing down retail sales by 25% compared to the same period last year. Zaveri Bazaar, a hub where retail jewellers buy bullion and jewelry in bulk, saw a 60% drop in sales.

Senco Gold & Diamonds, Joy Alukkas, PNG Jewellers, Mamraj Musaddilal Jewellers, and senior executives from the India Bullion & Jewellers Association mentioned that Indian families, especially those with weddings planned for the upcoming season, are stressed by the escalating prices. As a result, they are opting for lightweight jewelry, as high prices make it difficult to stick to the traditional gold jewelry budgets.

Suvankar Sen, the chief of Senco Gold, shared that sales of small-ticket gold jewelry in the ₹30,000 – ₹40,000 price range have dried up. “The high prices are keeping customers away from spending on gold,” he said. On March 18, gold was priced at ₹88,256 per 10 gm in the physical market, with a 3% Goods and Services Tax (GST), pushing the cost to ₹90,903 per 10 gm.

“Those who have weddings in the family are buying lightweight jewellery as they cannot stretch the budget. Demand has dropped by 15% beginning from March and if this rally continues, the recovery in demand may not happen. The next big sales can only happen during Akshay Tritiya, which falls on April 30,” said the MD of Senco Gold & Diamond.

Despite the rise in prices, the demand has remained sluggish in South India too. “Compared to last March, demand is down by up to 25%. While the high price is a big factor in this demand drop, other things like board exams have slowed down demand as well,” said Baby George, CEO of Joy Alukkas.

Saurabh Gadgil, chairman of PNG Jewellers, also highlighted the shift in preferences. “People are buying lightweight jewellery, and many are exchanging old gold jewellery with new ones. The volumes are getting impacted but value-wise the jewellers are not facing any issue.”

Avinash Gupta, partner at Hyderabad-based Mamraj Musaddilal Jewellers, noted that while demand has softened, it hasn’t reached alarming levels. “Demand will bounce back in April due to weddings and Akshaya Tritiya, but definitely the preference will shift to lightweight and lower caratage jewellery.”

Related Topics:2025 GoldSales nationalnews Retail Gold

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National News

GST Seminar Successfully Conducted by MWGJA for Jewellery Industry

Industry-Focused GST Session sees Strong Participation, Offering Practical Insights On Compliance, Taxation, and Operational Challenges

Published

2 hours ago

April 28, 2026

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The Mumbai Wholesale Gold Jewellers Association (MWGJA) successfully organised a highly informative GST seminar aimed at empowering the jewellery industry with practical knowledge and clarity on GST compliance on 23/04/26 at MP School.

The seminar, themed “Empowering the Industry with Knowledge – Learning, Growing, Leading,” witnessed an excellent response from jewellers and industry stakeholders across Mumbai.

The event was graced by distinguished dignitaries from the CGST Department, including:

R. S. Maheshwari – Principal Commissioner, CGST Mumbai
Rajan Mishra – Assistant Commissioner, CGST Mumbai
Danish Akhtar – Superintendent, CGST Mumbai
Sanyam Johari – Inspector, CGST Mumbai

Their valuable insights and practical guidance provided clarity on key GST issues faced by jewellers in their day-to-day operations.

Key topics covered during the seminar included labour charges (5% vs 18%), delivery challan rules and compliance, interstate movement of goods for sales and exhibitions, and common errors leading to notices, penalties, and input tax credit (ITC) blockage.

The session focused on real-world challenges and offered practical solutions, making it highly beneficial for attendees. The interactive Q&A session enabled participants to directly engage with the officers and resolve their queries.

The association’s office bearers, including President Mahesh Bafna, Secretary Shreyans Kothari, Vice Presidents Sandip Kothari and Dinesh Kothari, Treasurer Kamal Kothari, Past President Prakash Jain, Past Secretary Anil Pamecha, and Committee Member Nitesh Dhakad, played an active role in organising and successfully executing the seminar.

The event also received valuable support from leading industry bodies, including All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council (GJF), India Bullion and Jewellers Association (IBJA), Jewellers Youth Forum (JYF), Dagina Bazar Association, and Sarafa Welfare Association, further strengthening the impact and reach of the seminar.

The Association expressed sincere gratitude to the honourable chief guests, supporting associations, and all participants for contributing to the success of the seminar. It reaffirmed its commitment to continue organising such knowledge-driven initiatives for the benefit of the jewellery community.

The seminar concluded on a positive and impactful note, reinforcing the importance of awareness, compliance, and continuous learning in today’s evolving GST framework.