Bata India is stepping up its retail transformation with plans to more than double its zero-based merchandising (ZBM) footprint to 800 stores by December 2026, alongside an aggressive push into franchise expansion and technology-led operations to strengthen its presence across Tier-3 to Tier-5 markets.
The footwear major has already implemented ZBM across 400 outlets, up from 100 stores a year ago. According to the company’s senior management, zero-based merchandising is emerging as a central pillar of Bata India’s retail strategy, with assortments increasingly being planned from the ground up based on local demand patterns rather than uniform centralised allocation.
Bata’s franchise network has expanded sharply, growing from 100 stores five years ago to around 700 outlets currently, while company-owned stores stand at approximately 1,300. The retailer plans to double its annual pace of store additions from the current 70–80 outlets, with franchise stores expected to outnumber company-owned locations within the next few years. The expansion strategy differentiates between markets, with company-owned stores focused on metro and Tier-1 cities featuring modern formats and premium assortments, while franchise-led growth is prioritised in Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets, tailored to local price sensitivities and family-oriented purchasing behaviour.
The company said it has mapped potential trade areas using data-driven tools, including store size and revenue estimators, to support deeper penetration into emerging markets. As part of its digital transformation, Bata has consolidated 22 separate applications into a single unified retail platform, Bata Hub, which manages functions ranging from attendance tracking and customer feedback to visual merchandising.
Omnichannel capabilities are also being scaled up, with the number of enabled stores set to rise from 100 last year to more than 400 by the first quarter of 2026. Currently, around 40% of Bata’s stores offer hyperlocal delivery. The company is also piloting 10-minute delivery in select locations and exploring four-hour delivery options through quick commerce partnerships.
Bata has stated that it aims to become India’s largest omnichannel footwear retailer by leveraging its network of nearly 2,000 stores to enable faster deliveries from nearby outlets rather than central warehouses. The company maintains uniform pricing across physical stores, its own e-commerce platform and major online marketplaces, including Flipkart, Amazon, Myntra and Ajio.
The recent reduction in goods and services tax on footwear priced below Rs. 2,500 (US $ 28) from 18% to 5% has created more favourable market conditions. Bata extended the benefit to consumers ahead of the official implementation date, absorbing the margin impact to build goodwill. The company believes the tax change helps level the playing field with unorganised players and is expected to support demand growth in the coming quarters.
According to Euromonitor data, Bata’s market share increased from 4.3% in 2020 to 4.8% in 2024. With a stronger appeal to younger consumers, deeper penetration into smaller towns and supportive tax tailwinds, the company expects to further consolidate its position in India’s organised footwear market. Bata is also positioning India as a key global export hub within the wider Bata international network.
