Bucking the delivery trend in India, platforms like WhatsApp are allowing for local culinary marketplaces to flourish. Neighbourhood group chats offer convenient, home-cooked meals, catering to the fact that people desire authentic and convenient food when dining.

As of 2020, WhatsApp will carry in-app ads, which raises concerns about how data gathered from interactions will affect the user experience. Privacy issues on social media have long been an issue, but some people are moving to niche platforms to better protect their information.

Cheap handsets and low mobile data costs have helped India become WhatsApp’s biggest market, boasting more than 200 million active users. Yet while many use it simply to message loved ones or colleagues, group chats are proving to be fertile ground for political content and ‘fake news’.

How does religion shape consumer decisions in India? Why is cash still king despite rapid digitisation? And how are young people grappling with the idea of inclusivity? This Cultural Snapshot uses local stats and case studies to explore behavioural norms shared by Indian people in 2018.