Consumer Demand

Indian retail eyes strong growth as demand shifts to Tier II, III cities

Shrugging off past disruptions, the Indian retail industry is gearing up for 2026 with a solid foundation and is expected to see better margins, driven by a shift in demand from major metros to Tier II and III cities, all while maintaining its position as the world's third-largest retail market. The Indian retail industry, valued at approximately USD 1.1 trillion, is marked by rapid digital integration, expansion into smaller towns, and significant mall development, driven by strong domestic demand, tech-led disruption, and rising consumer expectations for quality and value. With policy interventions such as GST reforms and income tax relief, coupled with a good monsoon and higher Minimum Support Prices (MSP), the industry anticipates a silver lining in consumer demand. Moreover, the rise of the value retail boom and premiumisation, is expected to usher in a year of accelerated growth. However, the industry faces challenges such as growing rentals, fierce competition across digital

GST rate cuts likely to keep driving consumer demand for some quarters

Consumer companies say that demand has already started to see some positive impact

Best of BS Opinion: Government must continue with trimming its QCO list

Today's Best of BS Opinion looks at Bihar's fiscal test after NDA win, pushback against QCOs, Trump's tariff stance and India's options, India Inc earnings vs GDP, and a biography of Francis Crick

Diwali through the ages: From harvest roots to LED-lit celebrations

Once marked by the simple lighting of diyas and modest home decorations, Diwali today is synonymous with affluence and high consumer demand

Consumer space hits four-year high with ₹21,200 crore in deals: Report

F&B and apparel sectors led deal activity, with private equity accounting for 99 per cent of total value in September, according to Equirus Capital's latest report

Navratri sales hit decade-high as GST reforms boost festive spending

In the first eight days of the festival, Maruti Suzuki delivered 165,000 vehicles, including 30,000 units on Day 1, making it the company's best single-day sales in 35 years

Best of BS Opinion: A sobering set of data reveals India's infirmities

From low workers' wages to suspect GDP to scary rankings for pilot training schools to self-serving protectionism, today's pieces paint a sobering picture of what ails India economy and policy

Best of BS Opinion: GST 2.0 reforms miss underlying core principles

Today's pieces look at the available space for more rate cuts, the sorry state of tribunals, why GST reforms are not really that, and how India can harness its vast non-export MSME sector

Air conditioner, TV makers upbeat about sales amid signs of GST cuts

Consumer durables firms expect GST cut on air conditioners and large TV panels from 28% to 18% to lower prices, spur festive demand and improve sales in a price-sensitive market

Rural demand continued to outpace urban in April-June period: NielsenIQ

India's FMCG market grew 13.9% in April-June, driven by rural demand, smaller packs, and e-commerce gains in metros, even as urban recovery narrowed the rural-urban gap

Logistics companies gear up to meet festival season demand surge

Prozo, which provides warehousing and fulfilment services, expects shipment to rise by 50 per cent compared to last year

Eggoz raises $20 mn in series-C funding to scale India's branded egg biz

Backed by Gaja Capital, Eggoz aims to expand its footprint, build supply chain tech, and compete in India's $12 bn egg market with traceable, hygienic products

Rural demand for FMCG grows at a slower pace in March quarter: NielsenIQ

Demand for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) in rural India stood at 8.4 per cent in the March quarter, compared to 9.2 per cent in October-December of 2024

Analysts cut targets for Trent amid slowing growth, weak consumer sentiment

While Trent reported strong profit and revenue growth, several brokerages have slashed their target prices, citing slowing growth momentum and weak consumer sentiment

Slower corporate wage growth impacts consumer demand in India

Effects of single-digit salary growth for 3 qtrs on consumer spending are now palpable

Rural demand rises but urban areas 'slow down'; will it impact GDP growth?

While rural demand has shown an uptick, rising food inflation and a slowdown in credit growth pose challenges, potentially dampening the country's growth in the second quarter of 2024-25

Best option is to double down on market strategy, says P&G India

On the PGHH call, Mrinalini Srinivasan, CFO, said that positive trends are finally emerging in the Indian fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry, both in urban and rural areas

China's ultra-long treasury bonds' use fuels expectations for more stimulus

After unshackling the economy from three years of Covid-19 restrictions, Chinese officials had hoped that stimulating the industrial sector would stabilise the job market

Budget 2024: India Inc awaits consumer demand uptick to go on capex spree

CEOs expect govt capex of Rs 11.11 trillion to boost demand

Earnings upgrade, valuation uptick for consumer companies' stocks

Increasing trends of premiumisation and volume growth may also expand operating margins by 50-75 basis points, despite higher marketing expenses and competition