Consumers

Painful policy choices loom after China's monumental consumer stimulus plan

China's household spending is less than 40 per cent of annual economic output, some 20 percentage points below the global average

Govt invites applications to fill 2 posts in NCDRC, sets Oct 16 as deadline

The government on Friday invited applications to fill up two vacancies for the post of members in the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC). NCDRC is a quasi-judicial body established under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. The Commission is headquartered in New Delhi. The Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs has invited applications only through online mode. Applicants can apply from September 17, onwards through jagograhakjago.gov.in/ncdrc, an official statement said. The deadline for submission of applications is October 16 this year, it added. A search-cum-selection Committee, constituted under the Tribunal Reforms Act 2021 for recommending names for appointment to the said post, will scrutinize the applications. The qualifications, eligibility, salary and other terms and conditions of the appointment of a candidate will be governed by the provisions of the Tribunal Reforms Act and the Tribunal (Conditions of Service) Rules, 2021. The final selection will be

China needs more than 'incremental' consumer measures for long-term growth

Trade tensions and local government debt risks leave Beijing few alternatives to revving up consumer stimulus

Will rural consumers roar?

There are many changes happening that should help big FMCG brands reach rural consumers

Rising disposable income a big opportunity for us: AABL's Tushar Bhandari

Associated Alcohol Breweries Ltd (AABL), one of the leading distilleries in India, is strategically targeting the evolving preferences of new-age consumers

4 shocks pushed up prices, led to supply disruptions and price reactions

Easing inflation, a smaller fiscal deficit and a turn in US Federal Reserve's policy rates create grounds for policy rate cuts in India

A voice for consumers

Ombudsman for aviation sector a good move

Consumers feel relief as wheat product prices soften during festival month

Going forward, market players feel that prices would be guided somewhat by the pace of new crop sowing and also the trajectory of liquidation of wheat inventories by government agencies

79% consumers fed up with excessive convenience fee: LocalCircle survey

These charges, levied by ticket or service booking platforms like BookMyShow, PVR, IRCTC, can be as high as 20 per cent of the transaction value in some cases

Young consumers buying into brand narratives first, say new-age founders

Many young consumers are preferring to base their buying decisions on brand narratives first and products second, according to new-age brand founders. In the age of sustainability and brand connect, founders of D2C and new-age companies feel their stories convince consumers for repeat purchases, but others feel that it is the product which convinces the consumer, because it solves a problem for them. Shark tank fame oral care brand Perfora's founder Jatan Bawa said that people buy into the narrative of a young brand which is challenging the status quo, unlike legacy brands whose founders or brand building story is not well-known. "The consumers of today buy into brand narrative first and product second, because they're looking for transparency, and to resonate with the story of brands that they can be part of. With legacy brands the problem is that you don't know who started them. But most people who are consumers of young brands know the founder and their story, because the founder

NCCF procures 2,826 tn onion for buffer stock; to scale up buying

The National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF) on Saturday said it has purchased 2,826 tonnes of onion at Rs 2,410 per quintal directly from farmers in the last four days mostly from Maharashtra as it resumed procurement of the bulb for a higher buffer stock. The government enhanced the onion buffer stock target from 3 lakh tonnes to 5 lakh tonnes this year. Two cooperatives, NCCF and NAFED, have been mandated to procure 1 lakh tonnes each directly from farmers at Rs 2,410 per quintal to avoid panic selling amid the imposition of an export curb to control domestic prices. The two cooperatives are also disposing of the government's buffer stock of onion in both wholesale and retail markets to control the rising retail prices of onion, which at present are ruling up to Rs 60 per kg depending on the quality in Delhi and other cities. Speaking with PTI, NCCF Managing Director Anice Joseph Chandra said the cooperative commenced the procurement directly from farmers on ..

'E-commerce policy in final stages; to be presented before top-level'

The proposed national e-commerce policy being formulated by the commerce and industry ministry is in the final stages and no new draft policy will be issued now for seeking views of stakeholders, a senior government official said. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) on August 2 held a detailed discussion with representatives of e-commerce firms and a domestic traders' body on the proposed policy. In that meeting, a broad level of consensus emerged among the concerned stakeholders on the proposed policy. "Now no draft policy will come. That exercise is over now. We are just getting a final sign off, the official, who did not wish to be named, said, adding there will be a presentation of the proposed policy at the top level of the government. On data localisation, the official said that the e-commerce companies would have to follow the law of the land. Earlier the ministry had issued two draft national e-commerce policies. The 2019 draft proposed to

Low income group consumers' sentiments buoyant about Indian economy : study

Home Credit India, which is a part of global consumer finance provider Home Credit Group, has said that sentiments of the low income population in urban and semi-urban spaces are quite buoyant about the country's economy. The company in its annual consumer survey 'The Indian Wallet Study 2023' found that with the economy growing, income levels have increased for 52 per cent of the low-income consumers last year. A total 76 per cent are expecting their incomes to rise in the coming year. This has made the low income population buoyant about the country's economy. However, despite the increase in their income the consumers are highly cautious when it comes to non-essential spending, the study said. The aim of the study is to understand the financial habits and sentiments of the consumers in the low-income strata within the urban and semi-urban areas. The study was made from a randomised survey of around 2200 respondents who are in the age group of 18 to 55 years with an annual incom

Cash has no substitute: It is inclusive and the original instant payment

It gives freedom of choice to consumers, cuts across economic status and geographies

Consumer affairs dept asks online platforms to not use 'dark patterns'

The Consumer Affairs dept advised online platform to not engage in 'unfair trade practices' by incorporating dark patterns in their online interface to manipulate consumer choice

Can 'dark patterns' really be controlled?

The govt's efforts to protect consumers from manipulative advertising tactics are commendable, but ensuring compliance from e-commerce giants will be a daunting task

India to cut power tariff during solar hours, raise for peak hours

The system is expected to reduce demand on the grid during peak times when many Indian households crank up their use of airconditioning after work

Around 73% consumers trust content created by AI: Capgemini study

66% of them would be willing to seek advice from the technology for personal relationships or life and career plans

Decoding the name game of service charge added in a restaurant bill

The Restaurants' Association said that levying of service charges has been a standing practice for more than 80 years in the hospitality industry

Consumers switching back to buying regular or mid-priced packs in FMCG

The demand for regular packs has revived especially in categories like snacks, biscuits, edible oil, and detergents after more than a year