India’s direct-selling industry reached Rs 23,522 crore in the financial year ended March 2025. The sector now supports 91 lakh active sellers, with women making up nearly half of this workforce. As the industry eyes Rs 25,000 crore next year, it continues to provide vital self-employment and income for many families.
India’s direct-selling industry reached Rs 23,522 crore in the financial year ended March 2025, growing at a compound annual rate of 7 per cent, and is projected to cross Rs 25,000 crore by the next fiscal year, according to an industry report released on Monday.
The sector has 91 lakh active direct sellers, of whom 47 per cent are women, highlighting its role as a source of self-employment and supplementary income, the report by the Association of Direct Selling Entities of India (ADSEI), prepared with research partner Kantar, said.
India ranks 11th among the world’s 15 largest direct-selling markets, the report said, as the industry seeks to expand its reach through entrepreneurship, training and greater regulatory compliance.
Industry supports livelihoods and self-employment
“This report establishes, with credible quantified and qualitative data, what Direct Selling substantively contributes to India: at the core of it is livelihoods for more than 91 lakh people, nearly half of them women, built on the spirit entrepreneurship. Over the past decade, the industry has been in alignment with the vision of Government of India in championing self-employment, skilling and women-led development. ADSEI will remain a committed partner to the government in deepening compliance & consumer trust,” said Sanjeev Kumar, president of ADSEI.
Women account for nearly 43 lakh of the industry’s active sellers, according to the report. Flexible working hours, relatively low entry capital and the absence of formal educational requirements can make direct selling accessible to women in rural and semi-urban areas, offering an avenue to earn income independently.
Gautam Bali, patron of ADSEI, said the sector had created opportunities for people to establish businesses and contribute to household finances, but acknowledged that retaining sellers remained a challenge.
Women’s earnings and seller retention
“Behind the Rs 23,522 crore are 91 lakh Indians who decided to bet on themselves. Nearly 43 lakh of them are women, many of them homemakers in small towns and villages, earning an income entirely their own, often for the first time. That income goes into a child’s school fees, a family’s healthcare and a household’s savings, and gives a woman a voice in decisions she was once left out of.
“For almost two in three sellers, direct selling is now their primary livelihood. This is socio-economic inclusion that does not wait for jobs to arrive. But too many still leave before their business finds its feet. Sharper training, stronger governance and an uncompromising commitment to the consumer are how we ensure that everyone who joins with hope stays to build something lasting. Get that right, and direct selling can become India’s most democratic route to enterprise,” he said.
The report found that about 69 per cent of active direct sellers were aged between 25 and 44, while more than 32 per cent reported consistent month-on-month income from the activity. Training and onboarding programmes also help participants develop sales, communication, financial literacy and small-business management skills, it said.
Wellness and personal care dominate sales
Wellness, personal care and cosmetics accounted for more than 86 per cent of industry sales, reflecting the sector’s concentration in consumer products used regularly by households.
Northern India was the largest regional market, with a 26.8 per cent share, followed by western India at 24.5 per cent.
Regulatory compliance and sustainable growth
The report identified the Consumer Protection (Direct Selling) Rules, 2021, as an important step towards formalising the industry and establishing clearer operating standards. Surveyed sellers reported positive perceptions of current policies and expressed expectations of further industry growth over the next two years.
However, the report also highlighted seller retention as an area requiring attention, with training, stronger governance and consumer protection identified as priorities for sustainable expansion.
The industry’s estimates were derived through a three-stage methodology involving company information, financial and operational data, interviews with industry stakeholders and a quantitative survey of direct sellers. The findings were assessed against business-as-usual, optimistic and pessimistic scenarios, ADSEI said.
The association, established in 2021, represents direct-selling entities and describes itself as a non-profit, self-regulatory organisation focused on awareness, transparency and compliance in the sector.