GST reforms in 2025 make groceries, fashion, electronics and more cheaper than ever
The Amazon Great Indian Festival 2025 is arriving at a moment of change: the government has just approved sweeping reforms to the GST (Goods and Services Tax) regime, which come into force from September 22, 2025. These changes drastically simplify GST slabs, lower rates on essential goods, extend relief to categories beyond electronics, and aim to bolster consumer spending just in time for the festive season. For bargain hunters, this isn't just another sales event, it's a chance to buy what you need at noticeably lower-taxed prices. Amazon's festival deals layered on top of these tax cuts mean consumers may see deeper discounts across groceries, personal care, fashion, electronics, home goods and more.
Amazon Great Indian Festival 2025 combines tax cuts with mega discounts for double savings.
Photo Credit: Amazon
Imagine you're shopping for your Diwali list, everything from sweets to smartphones, kurta to kitchenware. Thanks to the GST overhaul, many of the items on that list will carry lighter tax burdens. Instead of having four slabs (5%, 12%, 18%, 28%), India is shifting to a simpler and leaner two-tier structure for most products: 5% and 18%, with a special 40% slab reserved for sin and luxury goods such as tobacco, very high-end luxury cars, etc.
Also Read: Amazon Great Indian Festival 2025: Here Is All You Need To Know
This matters for the Amazon Great Indian Festival in two ways:
Here are category-by-category changes under the new GST 2.0 reforms, with examples, and how they likely interact with Amazon's festival pricing
Catgeory | What the GST Reform Does |
---|---|
Groceries and Packaged Food | Many food items have been moved from 12% or 18% slab down to 5% or zero/Nil tax; some essentials are now tax-free. |
Personal Care and Household Goods | Items taxed previously at 12% or 18% have been reclassified to 5%. |
Fashion and Footwear | GST cuts in many segments of apparel and footwear; improved slab alignment, especially for lower price items. For instance, products priced between certain thresholds may now attract lower GST. |
Electronics and Appliances | High-taxed items like TVs, ACs, dishwashers, etc., are moving from the 28% slab to 18%. |
Medicine, Health, Insurance | Life-saving drugs, medical devices, diagnostic kits, health insurance, etc., see GST lowered to 5% or nil; the reforms include many health-related goods moving to very low or no GST. |
Home, Furniture, Building Materials | Certain construction materials, home furnishings, wooden articles, etc., have GST reduced (from 12% or 28% to 5% or 18%) |
Vehicles / Automotive / Auto Components | Smaller two-wheelers, small cars, hybrid vehicles below set specifications get GST reduced (28% to 18%); auto components are reduced. |
Services and Miscellaneous | GST on services like hotel stays (rooms below a tariff limit), gyms, salons, yoga, etc., is lowered (often from 18% to 5%). |
Imagine GST is like a toll gate on every product. Earlier, many goods had to pass through a “high toll” gate (28% or 18%). With the reforms, many of those gates are replaced with more affordable “5% gates” or sometimes even no gate at all. Then Amazon arrives offering “half-price tickets” (i.e. discounts), bank offers, no-cost EMIs, so the user is getting through with minimal toll *and* paying less for the ticket.
Everyday essentials like milk, bread, soaps and clothes now carry lower GST.
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Amazon typically begins major deals in categories like electronics, fashion, home and kitchen, groceries, beauty, etc. With the GST rates already lowered, the “deal price + tax” tag will be more favourable. A product that was X price + 28% tax + discount might now be X price + 18% or 5% tax + the same or better discount.
Many items that people haven't considered previously (because the GST made them expensive) will fall into deals that become much more affordable: e.g. premium smartphones, home appliances, branded clothing, footwear, and personal care kits.
Sellers and brands are likely to pass on some of the benefit to consumers, especially during the festival period, where competition is high. Amazon's Festival tends to have bank offers, exchange bonuses, and extra coupons. Now on top of those, the GST reform effect adds another layer of savings.
For repeat or bulk purchases (groceries, hygiene, wellness, etc.), the GST reduction compounds the benefit. For first-time big purchases (TVs, ACs, car accessories etc.), the drop from 28% to 18% might tip the scales for consumers who were delaying purchase.
Not all goods are seeing GST cuts, luxury/sin goods move to a 40% slab. Items like gutka, cigarettes, premium liquor, very high-end luxury vehicles, etc., are excluded or may even cost more.
With the confluence of GST rationalisation and Amazon Great Indian Festival's discount machinery, this is likely to be more than a “sale”. It may well be a transformative year where people buy smarter across more categories: groceries, clothes, cosmetics, household items, health essentials; they all can become more affordable. For middle-income households planning festive spends, the difference could add up to thousands of rupees in savings.
If you are shopping with a list, map out what's “essential vs aspirational”, check the new GST rate on each, then see what Amazon's festival price plus bank offers or coupons tie up to. You may find that items you'd planned for next year you can buy now, and at a better value.
Amazon Great Indian Festival 2025 may turn out to be not just a shopping event, but a benchmark for what truly consumer-friendly tax policy can look like.
1. What products are cheaper after GST reforms in 2025?
Groceries, personal care items, fashion, footwear, electronics, home appliances, medicines, and household goods have seen GST reductions, making them more affordable.
2. How do GST reforms affect Amazon Great Indian Festival 2025 prices?
Lower GST rates reduce the base price of products. When combined with Amazon's festive discounts, bank offers, and coupons, shoppers save much more across categories.
3. Are electronics and appliances included in the GST cuts?
Yes. Items like televisions, washing machines, refrigerators, and smartphones have seen GST drop from 28% to 18%, making them significantly cheaper this year.
4. Will groceries and daily essentials be cheaper on Amazon during the festival?
Yes. Staples like milk, bread, cereals, paneer, ghee, jams, sauces, and packaged food now fall under reduced or nil GST rates, cutting costs further during Amazon's festival sales.
5. Do GST reforms apply to fashion and footwear on Amazon?
Yes. Many mass-market apparel and footwear items fall under lower GST slabs, ensuring better value during the Great Indian Festival 2025 deals.