Direct selling in India is now a Rs 23,522-crore business with 91 lakh sellers: ADSEI report

India's direct selling industry clocked sales of Rs 23,522 crore in 2024-25 and is set to cross Rs 25,000 crore in the current fiscal, according to a report released on Monday at Bharat Mandapam by the Association of Direct Selling Entities of India (ADSEI) and its research partner Kantar.The industry has grown from Rs 16,776 crore in 2019-20, a compound annual growth rate of about 7%, while the number of active direct sellers rose from 72 lakh to 91 lakh over the same period. Women make up 47% of them, or roughly 43 lakh sellers. The report places India 11th among the world's top 15 direct selling markets, worth an estimated $2.8-3 billion.ADSEI president Dr Sanjeev Kumar said the report established "with credible quantified and qualitative data" what the sector contributes, chiefly "livelihoods for more than 91 lakh people, nearly half of them women".Wellness products alone account for about 61% of sales; add cosmetics and personal care, and the share rises to 86%.Maharashtra is the largest market at Rs 3,058 crore, followed by West Bengal (Rs 2,376 crore) and Uttar Pradesh (Rs 1,788 crore). The top 10 states together contribute about 70% of national sales.A survey of 572 sellers conducted for the report found that 65% depend on direct selling as their only source of income, and 73% described their month-on-month earnings as very or somewhat consistent. Those with other sources of income reported average additional earnings of about Rs 18,000 a month. Some 69% of sellers are between 25 and 44 years old."Behind the Rs 23,522 crore are 91 lakh Indians who decided to bet on themselves," said Gautam Bali, patron, ADSEI. "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."The report credits the Consumer Protection (Direct Selling) Rules, 2021 with formalising the sector, and 83% of sellers surveyed viewed the impact of policy favourably. Their wish list for the government includes easier access to bank accounts and loans (61%), uniform central regulation across states (53%) and a dedicated regulator along the lines of Sebi or Irdai (42%).The numbers also show how far the industry has to go. Per-capita spending on direct selling in India is about $2, against $8-12 in the lower rungs of the global top 10. Breaking into that group would require the market to reach $6-7 billion, growing 12-14% a year, nearly twice its current pace. The business is also concentrated: six companies with revenue of Rs 1,000 crore or more hold about 68% of industry revenue, while over 400 firms earn less than Rs 10 crore each.Puneet Avasthi, director at Kantar, said the industry was "transitioning from a participation-led growth model to one increasingly driven by productivity, value creation, and ecosystem maturity"You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.