Swiggy’s ad spends nearly double YoY to Rs 1,039 crore in Q2 FY26

The near-doubling of ad and promotion expenses underscores its focus on customer acquisition and retention amid intensifying competition in the quick-commerce space.

By Indrani Bose| Oct 30, 2025 4:42 PM

Swiggy’s ad spends nearly double YoY to Rs 1,039 crore in Q2 FY26

Swiggy nearly doubled its advertising and sales promotion expenses to ₹1,039 crore in the July–September 2025 quarter (Q2 FY26) from ₹537 crore in the same period last year, reflecting an aggressive brand push across food delivery and Instamart. Marketing expenditure was almost flat compared with ₹1,036 crore in the previous quarter (Q1 FY26), indicating steady promotional momentum.

Revenue and growth

The company’s revenue from operations grew to ₹5,561 crore in Q2 FY26 from ₹3,601 crore in Q2 FY25 — a 54% year-on-year increase and up from ₹4,961 crore in Q1 FY26. Other income stood at ₹59 crore, compared with ₹87 crore in the previous quarter and Rs 85 crore a year ago. This took total income for the quarter to ₹5,620 crore, up from ₹3,866 crore in Q2 FY25.

Rising costs

Total expenses climbed to ₹6,711 crore, against ₹6,244 crore in the previous quarter and ₹4,309 crore a year earlier.

Break-up of major costs:

Purchases of stock-in-trade: ₹3,330 crore (₹1,384 crore YoY)

Employee benefits expense: ₹690 crore (₹607 crore YoY)

Finance costs: ₹304 crore (₹93 crore YoY)

Depreciation and amortisation: ₹304 crore (₹267 crore YoY)

Delivery and related charges: ₹1,426 crore (₹1,095 crore YoY)

Advertising and sales promotion: ₹1,039 crore (₹537 crore YoY)

Losses widen YoY

Loss before tax came in at ₹1,092 crore but improved sequentially from ₹1,196 crore in Q1 FY26. For the half-year ended September 2025, the company reported a total income of ₹10,668 crore (up from ₹6,996 crore in H1 FY25) and a loss before tax of ₹2,289 crore, compared with ₹1,237 crore in the corresponding period last year.

Swiggy’s top line surged on the back of robust order volumes and Instamart expansion, but higher marketing and delivery costs kept profitability under pressure. The near-doubling of ad and promotion spends underscores Swiggy’s intent to cement its leadership position ahead of the festive quarter.

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