Bengaluru, Feb. 4 -- Direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands are emerging as one of the biggest drivers of mall leasing in India, as customer acquisition costs rise online and the need for physical visibility pushes them offline.

Direct-to-consumer brands accounted for 27% of India's total retail leasing in 2025, up from 25% in 2024, according to a report by Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis (CBRE), the world's largest commercial real estate services and investment firm.

Malls, according to the report, account for two-thirds of the said total retail leasing. The digital-first brands' visibility in malls is found in some of the top metro cities in the country. Mumbai topped the list, with D2C brands accounting for 31% of total leasing, followed by B...