Reliance Retail and DMart expand fast adding 2182 stores as consumer demand rebounds

Why store openings surged even as costs stayed high

India’s leading retail chains, including Reliance Retail and DMart, added 2,182 stores in FY26, the highest in three years. The expansion is linked to recovering demand, recent tax cuts, and a shift in preference toward organised retail—especially in smaller towns—suggesting momentum is building across the sector.