Bangkok, 25 March 2025 — TOPS, the food business under Central Retail, has revealed shopper behavior insights for the Songkran holiday, highlighting the top five product categories with the highest sales growth: water-play and Songkran-themed fashion items; beverages and frozen goods; home appliances for parties and gatherings; wellness gifts for the elderly; and auspicious items traditionally used during the Thai New Year. In terms of customer demographics, Gen Y and Gen X made up the largest share of shoppers over the holiday period, accounting for 40.2% and 35% respectively. Interestingly, foreign customers who are The 1 members also spent twice as much per basket compared to Thai shoppers.
To maintain sales momentum into Q2 and reinforce its role as a festive campaign trendsetter, TOPS is rolling out its seasonal shopping campaign ‘Discover Fun Fest – Your Discount, Your Choice’. The campaign puts shopping power into the hands of customers, who can simply affix discount stickers to selected items and enjoy savings of up to 20%. TOPS has also joined forces with over 93 leading partner brands to deliver even more offers across a wide range of products. The campaign runs at all branches of TOPS, TOPS FOOD HALL, TOPS DAILY, TOPS CARE and PET ‘N ME nationwide from now until 30 April 2025, with the goal of boosting sales by more than 20%.
Mr. Chakkit Chatupanyachotikul, Head of Marketing, Public Relations & CSV, Central Food Retail under Central Retail, stated that Songkran is one of Thailand’s most significant festivals, acting as a key driver for economic activity across various sectors. The festival also contributes to the growth of domestic tourism. According to a report from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), it is expected that this year’s Songkran festival will generate 26.5 billion baht, reflecting an 8% growth from the previous year. The number of international tourists traveling to Thailand is expected to reach 476,000, an increase of 3%, while domestic trip is projected to grow by 7%. This tourism growth is expected to positively impact the retail and service sectors, driven by increased consumer purchases in preparation for celebrations, spending in key tourist destinations, and shopping activity among those returning to their hometowns.
Mr. Chakkit added that this growth aligns with shopping behaviour seen during the 2024 Songkran period, when compared to regular periods. Notably, The 1 members showed a 7.7% increase in basket value. Additionally, sales in the provinces rose by 8.3%, with the top three regions showing the highest spending growth being: the North, up 20.4%; the Northeast, up 14.7%; and the Central and Western regions, up 9.3%. These areas are among the most popular destinations for both Thai and international travelers.
The product categories with the highest sales growth rate during Songkran, compared to regular periods, included water-play and Songkran fashion items such as water guns, waterproof cases, waterproof bags, elephant-print trousers, floral Hawaiian shirts, and Changdao flip-flops. The beverage and frozen categories also saw strong growth, with popular items such as soda, energy drinks, canned coffee, drinking water, soft drinks, ice cream, and ice. In the home appliance segment, items for parties and gatherings—such as electric hot pots and multi-cookers—led the way. Additionally, wellness gifts for the elderly, such as the essence of chicken drinks and bird’s nest beverages, were in high demand. There was also strong demand for auspicious items for Songkran, including ceremonial sets, monks’ yellow robes, and scented water.
In terms of customer demographics during the Songkran shopping season, Gen Y topped the chart, accounting for 40.2% of all shoppers, followed by Gen X at 35%, Baby Boomers at 17%, and Gen Z at 7.6%. Interestingly, Gen Z proved to be the most frequent shoppers, while Baby Boomers had the highest spending per basket. Moreover, data revealed that foreign members spent up to twice as much per basket as Thai customers. These insights highlight that Songkran continues to be a powerful driver of consumer spending across all generations in Thailand and represents a significant opportunity to stimulate the national economy.
As a leading food retailer, TOPS has identified a promising opportunity to sustain retail momentum following a strong start to the year, supported by various government initiatives such as the Easy E-Receipt programme, the Digital Wallet scheme, and the retail boost seen during the recent Chinese New Year period. Anticipating continued vibrancy in the market throughout the second quarter, TOPS has relaunched its highly successful sticker campaign—first introduced in 2024—known as ‘Sticker Promotion – Stick and Save, Discount Your Way!’, to inject added excitement into Songkran shopping.
This year, the campaign returns under the name ‘Discover Fun Fest – Your Discount, Your Choice,’ backed by data from last year’s success, ensuring another strong performance. The previous campaign led to a 35.3% sales growth per participating customer, a 17.1% rise in shopping frequency, and a 15.4% lift in average basket size. Additionally, it attracted 9% more new customers, reinforcing its effectiveness as both a sales driver and a customer engagement tool.
Building on the success of last year’s sticker campaign, TOPS is confident that this year’s edition will enhance the festive spirit, encourage greater customer participation, and spark a lively shopping atmosphere throughout the Songkran holiday. The campaign reinforces TOPS’ position as the Best Shopping Destination in Season during Songkran and the summer period, while inspiring shoppers to embrace a more joyful shopping lifestyle. TOPS has outlined four key strategies, known as the 4Cs, to bring this vision to life.
- Customer-Centric Promotions: Biggest in Season Experience the most vibrant shopping season of the year with the ‘Discover Fun Fest – Your Discount, Your Choice’ sticker campaign, designed to make your summer shopping more enjoyable, seamless, and rewarding. Exclusively for The 1 members, simply spend the qualifying amounts and receive instant discount stickers of up to 20%, with additional savings from over 93 participating partner brands, including those within the Central Group. From now until 30 April 2025, spending every 200 baht per receipt at TOPS DAILY earns you a sticker worth up to 10% off; spending every 600 baht gets you a sticker worth up to 15% off; and spending every 1,200 baht rewards you with a sticker worth up to 20% off. These discount stickers can be applied directly to eligible items for immediate savings at all TOPS stores nationwide, including TOPS, TOPS FOOD HALL, TOPS DAILY, TOPS CARE, and PET ‘N ME. Stickers can be redeemed during designated periods: Round 1 runs from now until 1 April 2025, and Round 2 continues from 2 to 30 April 2025.
- Curated Songkran assortment
Discover over 3,000 seasonal summer must-haves you won’t want to miss. Explore an array of tropical fruits with GI certification, including carefully selected varieties of mangoes and durians, along with other seasonal produce. Treat your guests to premium party sets like shabu-shabu and grilled meat sets, sausages, and barbecues from James The Butcher. Songkran wouldn’t be complete without its signature water-play items—water guns ranging from classic to rechargeable electric models that draw water automatically and shoot farther, along with floral Songkran shirts, waterproof bags and goggles, scented water kits, merit-making sets, and beauty must-haves made to withstand the sun and water from leading brands.
- Customer experience – Bringing the Festival to Life
Enjoy a one-of-a-kind Songkran celebration through specially curated in-store experiences. Dive into festive joy with bright, vibrant decorations, and seasonal exclusives such as traditional mango sticky rice and mango with sweet fish sauce. Every detail is crafted to deliver an immersive and joyful experience that truly captures the spirit of the season.
- Collaborative partnership for Maximum Impact
TOPS is joining forces with leading partners including Unilever, P&G, Nestlé, and more to offer exceptional discounts across more than 93 brands, ensuring continuous value before, during, and after Songkran. Adding to the fun, don’t miss the grand mascot parade featuring over 30 beloved characters from TOPS’ partners nationwide, led by ‘Topster’, the official TOPS mascot. This lively spectacle will take place at centralwOrld on 28 March, spreading cheer and excitement in the true spirit of Thai New Year. It’s all part of TOPS’ Every Day DISCOVERY concept—delivering extraordinary experiences every day.
“We firmly believe that the campaign ‘Discover Fun Fest: Your Discount, Your Choice’ will not only stimulate consumer spending but also serve as a driving force for the economy during this high season. It further reinforces TOPS’ position as a trendsetter in the retail sector—one that stands apart and prioritises elevating the customer experience through a customer-centric approach. This forms the cornerstone of our strategy to inject energy and excitement into retail, and we anticipate that it will increase store traffic and boost sales by more than 20%,” concluded Mr. Chakkit.
Make the most of your summer shopping with ‘Discover Fun Fest: Your Discount, Your Choice’! Receive instant discounts of up to 20% on selected items from now until 30 April 2025 at all branches of TOPS, TOPS FOOD HALL, TOPS DAILY, TOPS CARE and PET ‘N ME nationwide. Check terms and conditions and stay up to date at www.tops.co.th, Facebook: TopsThailand, or via the LINE app @TopsThailand.
#TOPS #EveryDayDISCOVERY #DiscoverFunFest
###
