Diwali is barely a week away, but enthusiasm for the annual shopping binge seems to be lacking among city residents. Though shopkeepers expect demand to rise as Diwali approaches, they agreed that this year the festival season is not what it used to be.

Few shoppers throng the Sector-35 market, especially known for its wide range of Diwali gifts including crockery to electronic appliances. "In the previous years, the market used to be abuzz with customers a month prior to Diwali.

This year, shopping has not picked up even before a week for the festival. The spending pattern of the residents has changed dramatically," said Ashwani Chopra, who has been selling Diwali gift items for the last 31 years in Sector 35.

Another shopkeeper in Sector 22, Vipin Gupta, said: "It's too late for demand to pick up this year. Till date, I have recorded 40 per cent less sales than last year," he said. While shopkeepers blame the changed spending pattern of customers as one of the reasons for the decline, residents said they are still yet to receive bonus and incentives from their employers. "The residents who have splurged on larger items like cars or appliances or taken bank loans have cut their Diwali spending considerably," added Chopra.

Wait and watch
"The shopping will depend on the kind of bonus I get, which is not expected to be very encouraging. A major part of the salary is already earmarked for the EMIs for the car and house which does not leave any room for extra spending," said Rupesh Malhotra, a bank manager.

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