Air pollution in Delhi is hitting consumers, businesses

Summary

Marketplace Morning Report – Air pollution in Delhi is hitting consumers, businesses

Date: December 15, 2025
Host: Gideon Long (BBC World Service)
Correspondents: Davina Gupta (Delhi), Danny Vincent (Hong Kong), Michelle Fleury (New York), Corey Stoll (Indeed)

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Episode Overview

This episode spotlights how severe air pollution in Delhi, India, is disrupting daily life, impacting businesses, and dragging on economic productivity. Additional news stories include key updates on global business headlines such as China's retail slump, a major corporate investment in the U.S., the conviction of Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong, and the challenges of U.S. seasonal employment in 2025’s holiday shopping season.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Delhi's Air Pollution Crisis and Economic Impact

[00:59 – 03:23]

• Current Situation:

  • Delhi authorities have raised air pollution to ‘grade four’ — the highest alert level.
  • Residents, especially children and individuals with respiratory issues, are advised to stay indoors.

• On-the-ground Description:

  • Davina Gupta:

    "The air which I'm breathing is really heavy. The visibility has dropped sharply, so it's like I'm standing inside a cloud of dust and smoke." (01:33)

  • Pollution peaks recur every winter due to weather conditions and crop burning in surrounding states.

• Impact on Businesses:

  • A “graded response action plan” is triggered, imposing severe restrictions.
  • Construction halted:

    "Construction work would stop, so any kind of real estate renovation work stops. So that impacts the daily wages who are involved with this kind of work." (02:17)

  • Many offices shift to remote or hybrid work, reducing overall productivity.
  • Economic cost:
    • A study by Dahlberg estimates annual business losses at $95 billion (≈3% of India's GDP).
    • Delhi alone may lose up to 6% of its GDP each year due to pollution.

    "The consumer economy takes a hit. A lot of people don't want to go to markets to shop and that's where the consumption sees a fall." (02:53)

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2. Global Business Updates

Korea Zinc Investment

[03:27]

• Shares Surge:
  • Korea Zinc’s shares jump 11% after announcing talks to build a $6.8B smelter in the U.S., aimed at producing critical minerals and reducing reliance on international supply chains.

China's Sluggish Retail Sector

[03:27]

• Lowest Growth Outside Pandemic:
  • November retail sales up just 1.3% year-over-year – the country’s weakest retail data this century, aside from COVID years.

Jimmy Lai Conviction in Hong Kong

[04:14 – 04:40]

• Charges & Political Implications:
  • Jimmy Lai, pro-democracy activist and media tycoon, convicted on two counts of conspiring to collude with foreign powers and one of sedition.
  • Faces life in prison. Detained for five years already.
  • BBC’s Danny Vincent:

    "Critics have dismissed the case against him as political persecution. Human rights groups and many international governments have called for his release." (04:20)

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3. U.S. Holiday Seasonal Employment Woes

[04:59 – 07:33]

• Dramatic Reduction:

  • U.S. retailers are expected to hire fewer than 365,000 temporary workers during the 2025 holiday season — a record low.

• Market Realities:

  • Despite holiday sales projected over $1T, rising costs and economic uncertainty have made retailers cautious.
  • Inflation and tariffs contribute to uncertainty; businesses hesitant to staff up.

• Job Market Statistics:

  • At a New Jersey job fair:
    • 11,000 applicants.
    • Only 150 positions filled in a single day.
  • Corey Stoll (Indeed):

    "The broader labor market has slowed down...there are fewer opportunities for job seekers, so they're becoming more interested in these jobs. But that slowing labor market also means that employers are less interested in hiring those people." (06:30)

• Consumer Impact:

  • Some shoppers are spending less due to economic unease:

    "I feel like I'm spending less this holiday season because I just feel like there's a lot going on money wise in the economy." (07:04)

  • Others maintain or increase their shopping despite higher prices.

• Result:

  • Fewer workers may mean longer lines and less “holiday cheer” in stores.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Davina Gupta on Delhi air:

  "The air which I'm breathing is really heavy. The visibility has dropped sharply, so it's like I'm standing inside a cloud of dust and smoke." (01:33)

• Davina Gupta on business impact:

  "Delhi alone loses as much as 6% of its GDP every year, as per this study." (03:07)

• Will Lewis (NJ mall director):

  "We had over 11,000 job applicants... but we filled, on the day, 150 positions." (05:34)

• Corey Stoll (Indeed):

  "What that means is there are fewer opportunities for job seekers... and that's obviously a concern and a challenge." (06:30)

• American shopper:

  "I'm a big shopper, so I'm gonna definitely shop the same amount." (07:14)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• Delhi air pollution situation and effects: [00:59 – 03:23]
• Korea Zinc U.S. investment; China retail data: [03:27 – 04:14]
• Jimmy Lai court case: [04:14 – 04:40]
• U.S. holiday hiring woes and consumer voices: [04:59 – 07:33]

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Tone and Language

• Factual, concise, and informative.
• Blend of urgent reporting (Delhi air crisis) and human-interest perspectives (shoppers and job seekers).
• Neutral news delivery with occasional direct quotes capturing the speakers’ personal tone and emotion.

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This summary captures the main themes, economic insights, and notable moments from the episode, providing a comprehensive guide for listeners or readers interested in the intersection of environment, business, and economics.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

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[C]

The air in Delhi is thick with pollution and it's hitting businesses. Live from the uk, this is the Marketplace Morning report from the BBC World Service. I'm Gideon Long. Good morning. The authorities in the Indian capital Delhi have raised their assessment of air pollution in the city to grade four, the highest level possible. Residents have been urged to stay indoors, especially children and people with respiratory problems.

[D]

The people.

[C]

The BBC's Davina Gupta is in Delhi. Hi, Davina.

[E]

Hi, Gudim.

[C]

Just give our listeners an idea of what the air quality is like where you are at the moment.

[E]

The air which I'm breathing is really heavy. The visibility has dropped sharply, so it's like I'm standing inside a cloud of dust and smoke. This is something which has become a normalized situation for nearly 30 million residents of the city. It happens almost every winter, especially in November and December months because the weather conditions are such that they trap the pollutants in the air. On top of that, there are farmers in neighboring states that burn crops double to clear fields for the next planting season.

[C]

Davina, obviously this affects everybody in Delhi and the surrounding area, but how specifically does it affect business?

[E]

The government here trigger something called a graded response action plan. Now this is, it's got a level of restrictions. So right now we are on the fourth stage which is the most severe restriction. And that means that construction work would stop, so any kind of real estate renovation work stops. So that impacts the daily wages who are involved with this kind of work. You will also see that officers are advised to work in a high hybrid working arrangement. So a lot of people have to work from home. Now that also adds on to the productivity loss that we see. There's been a study by a global consultancy firm, Dahlberg, which has put the cost to Indian businesses at around $95 billion each year. That's around 3% of the GDP because of the reduced productivity, work absences. We also see that consumer economy takes a hit. A lot of people don't want to go to markets to shop and that's where the consumption sees a fall. And Delhi alone loses as much as 6% of its GDP every year, as per this study.

[C]

Davina Gupta in Delhi, thanks for joining us on Marketplace.

[D]

Thank you.

[C]

Let's do the numbers. Shares in the South Korean company Korea Zinc have jumped 11% after it said it was in talks to build a $6.8 billion smelter in the United States. It would be used to produce critical minerals, which the US Needs to reduce its reliance on. And talking of China, it's posted its weakest retail sales data since COVID and its weakest this century. Outside of the pandemic, they rose just 1.3% in November compared to a year earlier. A Hong Kong court has found the media tycoon and pro democracy activist Jimmy Lai guilty of sedition and conspiracy to collude with foreign forces. The critic of Beijing, who is a British citizen, said the verdict was politically motivated. Here's the BBC's Danny Vincent.

[F]

Jimmy Ly was found guilty of all charges, two counts of conspiring to collude with foreign powers and one of sedition. The judge said he had harboured hatred towards China. Critics have dismissed the case against him as political persecution. Human rights groups and many international governments have called for his release. The 78 year old will be sentenced at a later date. He could now face life in prison. He's already been detained for five years.

[C]

Danny Vincent there now. This time of the year is usually good for employment. But this year retailers in the United States are taking on a record low number of seasonal employees. That's worrying for Americans who rely on these jobs to make ends meet. The BBC's Michelle Fleury has the details.

[D]

New York's feeling festive, from the magic of Macy's holiday windows to the glow of Sachs light show along Fifth Avenue. But behind the holiday sparkle, a different story. For many who rely on seasonal work, this year brings fewer jobs and fewer opportunities. At New Jersey's Garden State Parkway Mall, the marketing director Will Lewis tells me shops are hiring, just not nearly enough to meet the surge of people looking for seasonal work.

[C]

We had over 11,000 job applicants come out on a Saturday afternoon for a job fair at which we had 35 plus Garden State Plaza retailers at the job fair, but we filled, on the day, 150 positions.

[D]

According to the National Retail Federation, shops are expected to hire fewer than 365,000 temporary workers this November and December, the lowest seasonal hiring level in years. And yet holiday sales are projected to top $1 trillion in 2025. So what's going on inside this New Jersey? Shopping retailers are gearing up for the holidays, but around the country, many are pulling back on seasonal hiring. Inflation tariffs and rising costs are creating real uncertainty, making it harder to justify bringing on extra staff.

[G]

We do see that this is one of the worst hiring years we've seen in some time.

[D]

Corey Stall is senior economist from the online job site.

[G]

Indeed, what we see is that the broader labor market has slowed down. And what that means is there are fewer opportunities for job seekers, so they're becoming more interested in these jobs. But that slowing labor market also means that employers are less interested in hiring those people. And that's obviously a concern and a challenge. And it means that this is going to be a much more competitive hiring year for these seasonal type jobs than it has been in years past.

[D]

For some shoppers, the economic uncertainty means tightening their budget. I feel like I'm spending less this holiday season because I just feel like.

[E]

There'S a lot going on money wise in the economy.

[G]

So I'm just trying to look for the good deals.

[D]

Others say they won't let rising prices dampen their holiday spirit.

[A]

I'm a big shopper, so I'm gonna definitely shop the same amount.

[F]

I'm not cutting back.

[D]

I think we're gonna be shopping more. And with fewer seasonal workers, shoppers may face longer lines and a little less holiday cheer. I'm the BBC's Michelle Fleury for Marketplace.

[C]

And in the UK, I'm Gideon Long with the Marketplace Morning Report from the BBC World Service. Wherever you are in the world, thanks for listening.

[H]

As we head toward the end of the year, Marketplace is here to help you make sense of the economy, what's happening, why it matters, and how it affects you. If this reporting has been valuable to you in 2025, consider becoming a Marketplace investor. Your support powers independent journalism that cuts through the noise and delivers clarity when it counts. Donate [e-mail] or click the link in the show notes.