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Working Habits ............................................................................................................................. 8 Working Conditions................................................................................................................... 8 Women in the Workplace.......................................................................................................... 9 Commuting ............................................................................................................................. 11 Alternative Work Options ........................................................................................................ 11 Retirement .............................................................................................................................. 12 Chart 4 Chart 5 Chart 6 Employed and Unemployed Population and Labour Force Participation Rate 2006-2011 ..................................................................... 13 Regional Ranking of Female Employment Rate 2011 ................................ 14 Population Aged 15-64 Compared with Old-Age Dependency Ratio 2000-2020 .................................................................................................. 14
Eating Habits .............................................................................................................................. 15 Dining in.................................................................................................................................. 15 Dining Out ............................................................................................................................... 17 Caf Culture ........................................................................................................................... 18 Snacking Habits ...................................................................................................................... 18 Attitudes Towards Food Trends .............................................................................................. 19 Chart 7 Chart 8 Per Capita Expenditure on Consumer Foodservice by Chained and Independent 2011 ...................................................................................... 19 Regional Ranking of Average Supply of Food Calories per Day 2011 ....... 20
Drinking Habits ........................................................................................................................... 20 Attitudes Towards Drinking ..................................................................................................... 20 Drinking Inside the Home ....................................................................................................... 22 Drinking Outside the Home ..................................................................................................... 22 Chart 9 Chart 10 Per Capita Consumption of Alcoholic Drinks and Soft Drinks by Category 2011............................................................................................ 23 Regional Ranking of Alcoholic Drinks Consumption: Off-trade vs Ontrade 2011 .................................................................................................. 23
Grooming Habits ........................................................................................................................ 24 Attitudes Towards Personal Care ........................................................................................... 24 Attitudes Towards Beauty ....................................................................................................... 25 Male Grooming ....................................................................................................................... 26
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Use of Hair Care Salons, Spas, Nail and Beauty Parlours ..................................................... 27 Chart 11 Chart 12 Value Sales of Beauty and Personal Care Key Categories 2006-2011 ...... 27 Regional Ranking of Per Capita Sales of Men's Grooming Products 2011 ........................................................................................................... 28
Fashion Habits ........................................................................................................................... 28 Attitudes Towards Clothing ..................................................................................................... 28 Attitudes Towards Footwear ................................................................................................... 30 Attitudes Towards Personal Adornment ................................................................................. 30 Attitudes Towards Accessories/luxury Goods ......................................................................... 31 Chart 13 Chart 14 Consumer Expenditure on Clothing and Footwear 2006-2011................... 31 Regional Ranking of Consumer Expenditure on Clothing and Footwear as a Proportion of Total Consumer Expenditure 2011................ 32
Health and Wellness Habits ....................................................................................................... 32 Public Versus Private Healthcare ........................................................................................... 32 Attitudes To Health and Well-being ........................................................................................ 33 Over-the-counter Versus Prescription-only Medicines (otc Vs Pom) ...................................... 34 Sport and Fitness.................................................................................................................... 35 Obesity ................................................................................................................................... 36 Chart 15 Chart 16 Growth in OTC Expenditure on Pharmaceuticals Compared with Healthy Life Expectancy at Birth 2006-2011 .............................................. 36 Regional Ranking of Obese and Overweight Population 2011 ................... 37
Smoking Habits .......................................................................................................................... 38 Smoking Prevalence ............................................................................................................... 38 Attitudes To Smoking.............................................................................................................. 39 Chart 17 Chart 18 Smoking Prevalence amongst Men and Women 2006-2011 ..................... 39 Regional Ranking of Smoking Prevalence 2011 ........................................ 40
Shopping Habits ......................................................................................................................... 40 Main Household Food and Non-food Consumables Shop ...................................................... 41 Top-up Food Shopping ........................................................................................................... 42 Shopping for Big-ticket Items .................................................................................................. 42 Personal Shopping ................................................................................................................. 42 E-commerce and M-commerce .............................................................................................. 43 Chart 19 Chart 20 Importance of Hypermarkets, Supermarkets and Discounters within Grocery Retailing 2011 .............................................................................. 44 Regional Ranking of Sales through Internet Retailing 2011 ....................... 45
Leisure Habits ............................................................................................................................ 45 Staying in ................................................................................................................................ 45 Going Out ............................................................................................................................... 46 Public Holidays, Celebrations and Gift-giving ......................................................................... 46 Culture .................................................................................................................................... 47 Chart 21 Chart 22 Cinema Attendances 2006-2011 ................................................................ 48 Regional Ranking of Consumer Expenditure on Leisure and Recreation as a Proportion of Total Consumer Expenditure 2011 ............. 48
DIY and Gardening Habits.......................................................................................................... 49 Attitudes To DIY...................................................................................................................... 49 Attitudes To Gardening ........................................................................................................... 50 Chart 23 Number of Home Owners and New Dwellings Completed 2006-2011 ....... 50
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Pet Ownership Habits ................................................................................................................. 51 Attitudes To Pet Ownership .................................................................................................... 51 Chart 25 Chart 26 Pet Population and Sales of Pet Food 2006-2011 ..................................... 52 Regional Ranking of Pet Ownership 2011.................................................. 53
Travel Habits .............................................................................................................................. 54 Getting Around ....................................................................................................................... 54 Use of Public Transport .......................................................................................................... 55 Air Travel ................................................................................................................................ 56 Chart 27 Kilometres Travelled by Road, Rail and Air compared with Road Network, Consumer Expenditure on Transport Services and Number of Scheduled Airline Passengers Carried 2006-2011................................. 57 Regional Ranking of New Car Registrations 2011 ..................................... 58
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Vacation Habits .......................................................................................................................... 59 Attitudes To Taking Holidays .................................................................................................. 59 Main Holiday-taking Trends .................................................................................................... 59 Domestic Versus Foreign Holidays ......................................................................................... 60 Preferred Travel Methods ....................................................................................................... 61 Popularity of Different Types of Holiday Activities .................................................................. 61 Chart 29 Chart 30 Domestic and Outgoing Tourist Expenditure by Sector 2006-2011 ............ 61 Regional Ranking of Holiday Departures 2011 .......................................... 62
Financial Habits .......................................................................................................................... 63 Attitudes Toward Payment Methods ....................................................................................... 63 Savings ................................................................................................................................... 64 Loans and Mortgages ............................................................................................................. 65 Chart 31 Chart 32 Consumer Lending Compared with Savings and Savings Ratio 20062011 ........................................................................................................... 65 Regional Ranking of Financial Cards in Circulation 2011 ........................... 66
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Indeed, those wishing to identify, observe and analyse the behaviour of consumers in India can only do so accurately by taking into account the dramatic differences in living standards in the country. These difference were recently highlighted in reports of the results from the recent Houselisting and Housing Census, the first phase of the Census 2011. According to a summary of the findings in the Times of India, One-sixth of the country, or 200 million Indians, don't possess any of the most basic assets like a transistor or TV, phone, vehicle of any kind or a computer. In three statesArunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Madhya Pradeshclose to a third of the households own none of these assets. A further summary in The Hindu newspaper also discussed the wide gap in household conditions, noting that Though half of all Indians do not have a toilet at home, well over half own a telephone....The data on housing, household amenities and assets cast new light on a country in the throes of a complex transition, where millions have access to state-of-the-art technologies and consumer goodsbut a larger number lacks access to the most rudimentary facilities....They have ever more access to electricity and gather their information from television, rather than radio. At the same time, women are forced to rely on traditional smoky fuels to cook, and less than one third of the population have access to treated drinking water. Only 46.9% of the total 246.6 million households have toilet facilities. Of the rest, 3.2% use public toilets. And 49.8% ease themselves in the open. In stark contrast, 63.2% of the households own a telephone connection53.25 of mobile phones. The data also show that just 32% of households use treated water for drinking and 17% still fetch drinking water from a source located more than 500 metres in rural areas or 100 metres in urban areas. With these stark differences, it is, therefore, no surprise that consumer behaviour, demand and spending habits vary so greatly throughout the country. Indians have been very vocal about what they see as the economic hindrances caused by rampant corruption, which seems to be present at nearly all levels of government. For example, Indians have recently endured a series of scandals involving the auctioning of wireless licenses, the building of the infrastructure for the Commonwealth Games and various real estate deals. Many activists, supported by large numbers of Indian consumers, believe that the lack of job opportunities for many is a direct result of corruption and ineffective economic management. Indians have been pressing the government to establish an anti-corruption watchdog and without this dramatic action from the government corruption is expected to continue to grow in coming years, affecting the rate of growth and opportunity in a number of economic sectors. In the longer term, India is expected to continue to see sustained growth in disposable incomes and a climate of confident spending. In addition to the slow growth of the labour market, there are other broader economic issues that may influence consumers lives in coming years, such as the rising fiscal deficit, the rising balance of payments and the impact of the economic slowdown in US and the eurozone. But according to Tushar Poddar, Chief India Economist for Goldman Sachs, India still has much going for it as it positions itself amongst the worlds most robust economies. India is really unique because it has a large population, 1.2 billion peopleand rising. It also has a very young population, with half the population under 25 years. He added India will play an increasing role in the global economy as demand from a growing working-age population will continue to drive consumption demand. We estimate that over the next decade as this population earns, consumes and saves more, these factors could contribute about 4% annually to India's GDP. The government is also taking steps to address the countrys broader economic issues and in some cases the proposed initiatives are expected to significantly affect the day-to-day lives of Indian consumers. An analysis in the Economic Times noted what the 2012 budget means for consumers in practical terms. The article noted, among other observations, that new tax hikes mean that consumers will have to spend at least 2% more on almost every service; higher excise duties will raise prices of a wide range of products, from cigarettes to cars; there will be
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sharper increases in petrol and diesel prices; and buying gold and selling property will become costlier with higher taxes.
Consumer Confidence
After slipping significantly in 2009 as a result of the economic downturn, consumer confidence began to bounce back in 2010 and by 2011, despite mixed reactions, Indian consumers on the whole began to return to optimism when assessing the outlook of their (and the countrys) financial situation. Among the findings revealed in the recent consumer confidence survey conducted by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), by the end of 2011 about 65% of the respondents reported that the economy has potential to grow above the current level. On the other hand, Although the positive perceptions on household circumstances have marginally increased, about one-fourth of the respondents continue to expect weakening. The survey went on to note that More than half of the respondents reported optimistic perceptions about employment scenario in the economy. Overall consumer confidence appears to have improved marginally, both for current and future periods. Among those who said that their household finances were better than they were one year prior, more than one-half said the improvements were due to rises in salary and business income. Of those who said they were worse off, 17% cited rising prices while another 16% cited declining salaries and business income. Inflation, rising prices and high interest rates are factors which are combining to spark concerns among many Indian consumers. The RBI noted The degree of negative perceptions on price levels for future periods have increased in December 2011 while more than 80% of the respondents were of the view that the current interest rates are high from borrowers view point. Only 15% of the respondents felt that interest rates are appropriate. The government has noted the optimistic but cautious mood permeating amongst consumers. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently said that it would be wrong to conclude that India is now unshakeably set on a process of rapid growth. Nevertheless, officials are trying to encourage consumers to avoid pessimism and to have faith in the ability of Indias strong macroeconomic fundamentals to support economic growth in coming years.
Misery Index
Mirroring declines in the inflation rate, the reading on the Indias Misery Index (calculated by adding the inflation rate to the unemployment rate) dipped to 14.6% in 2011, down from 18.6% in 2010. In 2011, inflation reached 9.1%, down from 12.1% in 2010 while unemployment reached 5.4% in 2011, down from 6.5% in 2010. Regardless of the declining trends, many believe both elements, particularly inflation, to be too high and this is in many cases having an impact on how Indian consumers view their personal financial situations. According to a recent report from the BBC, Rising prices have been driven by falls in the rupee, which is at its lowest level against the dollar for over two years. This in turn pushes up the cost of imported goods, such as oil. By the end of 2011, the report noted, Fuel price inflation stood at 14.79% and food inflation at 11.06%. To address rising inflation, the government has stepped in through the RBI to hike interest rates in a bid to curb inflation growth. Indeed, the RBI has increased rates 13 times since March 2010 in an attempt to hold back rising prices. The higher interest rates, as a consequence, have led to a sense of despair among many in the business community and among investors. Regardless, government officials are optimistic that inflation has already started showing signs of decline and this may prompt the RBI to lower interest rates in the future. Generally, unemployment is higher in the rural areas where two-thirds of the Indian population live. Despite greater employment opportunities opening in many key sectors, labour market growth is slow. Indeed, according to the Economic Survey 2011-12 (a survey that precedes the
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presentation of the governments budget), labour growth has slowed in both the public and private sectors. Analysing the results of the survey, the Times of India noted Just 15% of the total labour force has regular salaried jobs. While employment in the public sector grew at just 0.4% between 2010 and 2009 as compared to 0.7% between 2009-2008, private sector employment grew at 4.5% as compared to 5.1%. The bulk of workers in the labour market in India fall into the unorganised labour sector, with most working in the agricultural sector. Despite the recent economic slowdown and the resultant sectoral shifts, most of the organised labour sectors continued to experience job creation. According to recent reports from human resources consultant Ma Foi Ranstad, stable job growth was seen in key sectors such as manufacturing, banking and finance, IT, pharmaceuticals, media and entertainment (boosted by growing consumer demand for cinema, online digital media and mobile services), healthcare services and health insurance and the hospitality sector. In order to respond to the challenge of job creation and to continue to provide sound employment opportunities, the government has been increasing recruitment in public services, creating rural employment plans such as National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and promoting an environment of investment in the private sector. Generally, unemployment will continue to be a challenge for the government, though its five-year economic plan intends to drive inclusive growth by investing in Indias agriculture, education and health and social welfare sectors. The plan also aims to move India higher up the value chain by creating employment opportunities in such sectors as manufacturing. Chart 1 Misery Index 2006-2011
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LEARNING
Generally, Indians tend to place great emphasis on education. The culture demands high academic achievement from children and this is encouraged by parents who see academic qualifications as the best ticket to a good career and a good standard of living. Parents are eager to invest in their childrens education and this has led to many private institutions being able to command high fees. India offers a wide range of educational options for students with institutions operated by both public and private bodies. Pre-schools (typically for students aged three to five years-old) offer preparation for admission to primary schools (where students are typically six to 10 year-olds). Students then proceed to secondary level (11 to 16 year-olds). Until relatively recently, most pre-schools were simply informal neighbourhood schools run by semi-professionals and most pre-school students were trained informally to get them ready for primary school. But over the past decade, there has been increased demand for better
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organised pre-schools and now virtually every large neighbourhood offers at least a few, with each competing fiercely with the other. Pre-schools have become hugely popular among Indian parents because they offer a structured, English-language syllabus focusing on early childhood learning. According to leading pre-school chain Serra International, the value of the Indian preschool market is now estimated to be Rs50 billion. In response to the huge consumer demand, several large organizations have entered the market and have launched pre-schools across the country. These include Mumbai-based Brainworks and Kangaroo Kids with 80 centres across India, Dubai, Maldives; EuroKids International with 584 centres across 160 cities and towns across the country; and Kidzee, an arm of Zee Interactive Learning Systems which has over 623 centres in more than 275 cities in India. Even larger corporate entities plan to enter the market; indeed, Aadyant Education plans to open about 500 centres in the coming years. Primary and secondary education is provided mainly through government public schools with funding shared between state and central governments (one-quarter is provided by the central government). Most primary and secondary schools offer students a wide range of subjects to study, including mathematics, science, English, social studies, arts, computer science, sports and music. Most schools encourage students to learn two languages, the national language Hindi and the state language. Overall, India's schools teach 58 different languages. There are a number of private primary and secondary schools and they tend to rank much higher than state-run schools in terms of quality of infrastructure, quality of trained teachers and the overall quality of education. In most urban centres, especially the top 25 cities, it is mainly low-income households which send their kids to public schools as they charge no fees. But given the uneven quality of infrastructure and teaching staff in most public schools, even parents in low-income rural areas try their best to send their kids to private schools, even if doing so means that they have to work longer and harder in order to afford the high fees. Fees at private schools can range from Rs10,000 to Rs50,000. The growing number of schools which offer an international syllabus also charge very high fees (up to Rs1 million per year) and they are considered expensive even by very affluent parents. Regardless, spots in these schools are highly sought after, a situation reflected by their very long admission wait lists. At the same time, many parents also send their children to private tuition agencies or private tutors. While most tuition providers are independent, some work for large organisations that operate several branches. In fact, some are so prestigious that students need high academic marks just to be eligible for admission. In response to increased consumer demand, the tuition/coaching /training sector has seen massive growth over the past decade. Considering the great emphasis parents continue place on the academic achievement of their children, the services of these agencies are expected to continue to be in great demand in coming years. The standard school year can vary across regions but in most regions it starts in April. Typically, schools have two long holiday breaks, a two-month summer break in May-June and a shorter two-week winter break in December. Apart from this, the main festival holiday break is the week-long break for Diwali. As well, there are day-long breaks for other major festivals such as Holi. The Christian Christmas holiday usually falls during the winter break. The typical school day runs for six to seven hours but timing can vary according to the part of the country in which the school is located. Lunch breaks usually last for 30 to 45 minutes. As well, there are usually one to two shorter breaks of 15 to 20 minutes for snacks. Most students from middle-income families attending private schools carry packed snacks and lunches from home. At the same time, many students from affluent households buy their lunch in the school canteen/cafeteria. Typical home cooked lunches consist of chapati (Indian breads), sabzi (cooked vegetables), rice and dosai (Indian pancake/crepe).Snacks might include cookies, crisps, sandwiches, fruit or poha (flattened rice snack). In public schools, government-funded free meals and snacks (food and beverages) are provided to students. While most city schools offer a reliable water supply, many parents still prefer to provide their children with filtered/boiled
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and cooled water. In public schools, books, stationery and other needed supplies are provided free but in private schools parents must pay for school books and supplies. Under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), public schools and those partially funded by the government, along with Anganwadis, provide students with free mid-day meals. There are some public-private partnerships that also offer free meal programmes for students. For example, the Akshaya Patra Foundation, a public-private partnership, runs one of the world's largest NGO-operated school meal programmes, supplying food to 1.2 million children in eight states in India. The food is simple but nutritionally balanced and cooked according to local food customs. Almost all schools in India mandate the wearing of uniforms. The central government funds free school uniforms for all primary and secondary students in public schools but nearly all private school parents are required to buy school uniforms for their kids. Typical uniforms consist of shorts or trousers for boys and blouses and skirts for girls. In some schools, girls are offered the option of wearing traditional dress called shalwar kameez, which consists of a long tunic and long flared pants. Most schools are strict about not allowing make-up and allowing only a few items of modest jewellery.
University Life
Higher education in India is available to qualified students through both public (governmentfunded) and private institutions. Some Indian universities rank among the best in the world. Indeed, the Indian Institutes of Technology, Indian Institute of Management and private institutions such as the Indian School of Business have all often featured in top positions in the various lists of top science, business and technology institutions. According to the QS World University Rankings 2011, four Indian universities were rated among the top 100. Regardless, there has been some concern expressed about Indian universities, particularly after Narayana Murthy, chairman emeritus of Infosys Ltd, said in 2011 that the quality standards of top Indian universities are possibly slipping because admissions criteria are not as stringent as in the past. Indeed, a recent report from D&B noted In spite of gaining recognition as a prominent R&D hub in the global space, Indias total contribution to the world research papers remained at a dismal 2% as per statistics provided by Ministry of Science and Technology in 2003. India faces serious shortages in qualified research personnel in educational institutions, in national laboratories and in industrial R&D units, and to meet this ever-growing demand for research professionals, it needs to spruce up the quality of its higher education institutions. In India, the number of scientists and engineers engaged in R&D is close to 157 per million. On the other hand, countries like Korea have fifty times more and the US and Japan have about thirty times more scientists and engineers. Presently, India produces around 5,000 PhD scholars in science and around 800 in engineering annually. The Prime Ministers Science Advisory Council has estimated that if India wants to claim the status of being a knowledge-based economic power, it has to produce five times more the number of PhD scholars of international standards. While state governments provide most funding to public institutions, students still need to pay tuition fees. Indians prefer to invest in vocational colleges/universities and applied degrees rather than liberal arts or basic sciences. Engineering, medical science, law and accounting remain the traditional prestigious degrees but in the last decade many new vocational programs, such as computer animation, new media, journalism and financial degrees have become more popular. Unlike in the West, the majority of university students are day boarders and they live at home with their families. Academic programmes and universities need to be fairly popular to justify students leaving home and living in university dormitories. Dormitory/hostel living for female students is discouraged, although social acceptance is gradually increasing. Despite the relatively affordable cost of Indian universities, the share of foreign students is low.
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Most students do not need to work in part-time jobs since their parents tend to help them fund their university education. Even as fees have risen and as more students have taken advantage of increasingly available student loans, most students pay off their loans over their working lives after they graduate rather than immediately by working part-time jobs while studying at university.
Adult Learning
Adult education is not a popular concept in India. There are two programmes well-known to the majority of Indians. These include government- and NGO-sponsored basic literacy programs for uneducated Indians (typically rural adults) as well as supplemental courses taken by workers, taken mainly to enhance their academic credentials and, in turn, their prospects for career advancement. Programmes are offered via such institutions as the University of Delhi and Osmania University in Andhra Pradesh. In addition, the Indira Gandhi Open University offers mature students continuing education opportunities as well as a wide range of highquality, globally recognized programmes that lead to advanced degrees. Chart 2 Number of Students in Higher Education and Expenditure per Student in PPP Terms 2006-2011
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law does not envisage an at-will employment relationship. Dismissal may be for reasonable cause or based on misconduct. The Employees Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act (1952) provides for a provident fund, family pension and insurance for workers. The Payment of Gratuity Act (1972) provides for the payment of gratuities (lump-sum payments to employees upon resignation, retirement or termination) to workers in certain establishments. In the corporate sector, the office dress code is usually business-like, with men typically wearing formal shirts and trousers while women wear formal shalwar kameez or saris. In recent years, Western business attire has become more common among women, especially in large global companies and in sectors such as financial services and banking. In some offices, Fridays are dress down days and employees dress more causally. Regardless, by and large Indians dress conservatively, especially while at work. Lunch is often brought from home by office workers and eaten in the office kitchen or sometimes at the employees desk. Most companies provide access to microwave ovens to help workers heat the food theyve brought from home. Increasingly, however, hectic work schedules and busy lifestyles are leaving less time for the preparation of home cooked meals and more workers now opt to dine on affordable meals offered at foodservice venues nearby their offices. The Child Labour Prohibition and Regulation Act 1986 prohibits employing children below the age of 14 years-old in hazardous work and regulates their work in other non-hazardous processes. The maximum number of working hours for a child should not exceed 4.5 hours in a day.
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rampant toward working women who are unable to fully perform these duties. Many qualified and skilled women end up being employed part-time in the informal sector. However, there has been a recent change, particularly in urban areas. According to a 2011 report by international communications agency Kwinessential Corporation, Indian companies have started investing in initiatives to encourage working women. These include providing flexible transportation options, on-site childcare services and flexible working hours to help them accommodate and balance their varied duties. Google, for example, has taxis on call allowing women to get home quickly and easily should there be an incident or medical problem with their children or relatives. Wipro has taken this one step further by running childrens day camps on-site during the holidays to help women avoid having to take time off work. According to Bloomberg Business, in 2011 leading companies such as Ernst and Young undertook wide ranging measures to encourage women to come back to work after their maternity leave. Indeed, in a recent article describing some of the obstacles that working women in India face, the Economic Times noted While women have taken giant strides professionally, their personal life often comes in the way, especially after they become mothers. And since they are the primary caregivers, it becomes a choice between pursuing a career or dropping it altogether. Some companies, however, appear to be addressing this issue. Companies today are designing profiles with flexible work timings. For a very long time part-time work was frowned at. But organizations now recognize the advantages of retaining their highly talented women employees and hence offer profiles that allow women to work from home as well. While this is not a very recent phenomenon, it has come up in a big way only in the last couple of years. The article continued, The Tatas, one of the country's leading corporate groups, were one of the first ones to think of bringing their women back. In 2008 they began a 6-month internship programme Second Careers where they assigned women with live, short-term projects to help reorient them to the industry. Upon completion many were even inducted with the Tatas themselves. The programme is still running. Since then the flexibility bug has caught on with many other organizations which have come up with customized programmes open for women looking for jobs in small pockets. Generally, however, a further obstacle to advancement for women workers is simply that the majority of top corporate positions are still held by men. According to a 2011 study titled Challenges Indian Women Face in the Workplace conducted by New York think-tank Center for Work-Life Policy, The measures of daughterly guilt are much higher in Indian women than in the West. In fact, gender disparities at Indian companies grow more pronounced in management's upper ranks. But the situation has nevertheless become more relaxed in recent years and now more women hold key positions in the government as well as in the private sector. In the past, sexual harassment in the workplace was brushed under the carpet or resolved informally. In 2010, however, the government attempted to introduce formal laws to resolve issues of sexual harassment. The Protection of Women against Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill was placed before the Parliament for approval. According to a summary in the Times of India about this legislation as well as other government efforts, Giving a ruling on August 13, 1997, the Supreme Court held that sexual harassment of women is a violation of the fundamental right to work in a safe environment. The formation of complaint committee against sexual harassment in every governmental and non-governmental or private organisation, institution was also directed. Besides, the Central government also introduced the Protection of Women against Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill, 2010 in Lok Sabha on December 7, 2010. The main objective of the Bill is to provide protection to women against sexual harassment at all workplaces both in the public and private sector, whether organised or unorganised and for the prevention and redressal of complaints of sexual harassment.
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Commuting
The Indian population has far outstripped the infrastructure in nearly all urban areas and, as a result, commutes to and from work in the country are now rated amongst the worst in the world. According to Payscale, a US-based salary tracking firm, time spent commuting in leading Indian cities is far higher even than time spent commuting in very large global cities such as New York. Commutes in Mumbai and Delhi average 47.5 minutes and 43.6 minutes, respectively, while commuting time in Bengaluru is 40 minutes. Among private vehicles on the road, cars dominate followed by motorbikes and scooters. Commuters who drive or who travel as passengers in cars or other private vehicles typically face heavy traffic congestion in cities as well as the often robust driving habits of fellow commuters. To add to the difficulties faced by commuting drivers, there is a huge shortage of public and private parking lots in urban areas. Securing parking spots for the long term (or even on ad hoc basis) is very difficult and is an important factor discouraging many commuters from driving to work. Fortunately, parking charges are still affordable for those lucky enough to secure a spot. As well, parking lot safety is not a major concern. Public transport is the dominant mode of commuting in leading cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru, with travel by rail being the lifeline. At the same time, commuters travelling on buses tend to find them overcrowded and of poor quality. Nearly all commuters who use public transport buy long-term travel passes with monthly passes being the most common. Some large-scale projects have eased the pain of commuting in some urban areas. For example, the Delhi Metro Rail is one of the largest metro systems in the world and with an average daily ridership of 1.6 million. Bengaluru Metro phase 1 was inaugurated in October 2011 and metro rail construction is now underway in all other large metropolitan areas, including Mumbai. Walking and cycling to work are not as common as using public transportation but that, of course, depends on the distance from home to work. Cycling is fast becoming popular in some metropolitan areas as it is inexpensive and bikes are easy to store and park. In an attempt to promote cycling, the Delhi government has recently decided to build separate bicycle lanes for commuters on all major roads.
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taking care of the household and child care. In this context, typical jobs for women include direct selling, serving as tuition teachers, running small mom and pop retail stores, providing household services such as laundry and ironing services, providing beauty salon services, cooking and the home delivery of food purchased in shops. Most of these ventures are selffunded but there are some government and NGO schemes that provide training, up-front financial assistance and marketing assistance. There is similar support provided to rural women but the kinds of ventures more commonly launched in rural areas include handicraft manufacturing , home-based food manufacturing, making beedi (a traditional tobacco product) and making bangles and other jewellery. In large part, these jobs are popular in rural areas because many women in these areas are less skilled than educated urban workers.
Retirement
The retirement age in the public sector in India is 60 years-old while in the private sector the retirement age ranges from 58 to 60 years-old. In 2011, the number of Indians above the age of 60 years-old was about 93 million, representing 7.6 % of the total population. This proportion is expected to increase to nearly 10% by 2020. According to a recent article in the Times of India, the government is reviewing an increase in the retirement age for public sector employees to 62 years-old. For the most part, Indian workers do not have access to pension schemes, either public or private. As the average salaries in both the public and private sectors have increased significantly over the past decade, Indians have saved large portions of their income to fund retirement. Most retirees are able to live off of reasonable sums of money even if they are not in pension benefit schemes. This situation is in sharp contrast to that two decades ago when retirees had only modest sums upon retirement and thus, in many cases, had to rely on their children to cover at least some of their post-retirement expenses. With greater savings and incomes at their disposal, more Indian retirees are living comfortably. Traditionally, Indian grandparents lived with their childrens families (usually with their sons family) and they had strong roles in binding the extended family together, not only helping to take care of grandchildren but also simply offering the wisdom of their experience when family matters arose. They also ran errands and attended PTA/school celebrations when the parents were unavailable. While this scenario is certainly common today, currently there are also many retired grandparents who live more independent lives and who focus their spending (of both time and money) more on themselves than on their extended families. Since many of todays retirees are more educated and have greater financial independence, many more are spending time on projects that they believe make their own lives more rich and interesting. Typical spare time activities include recreation and fitness activities, travel, and entertainment. Of course, as in all discussions of consumer behaviour in India, there must be acknowledgment of are wide differences in levels of disposable income and, in turn, spending by Indian retirees. Generally, these differences determine the options from which retirees can choose as consumers. Regardless of levels of income and spending, however, it is clear that Indian parents tend to remain close to their grown children and their grandchildren and that they eagerly and willingly help however they can when needed. Special homes for retirees, such as assisted living accommodations, are still an alien concept to most Indian consumers. In fact, there are only a few such institutions in the country. Adult children who do not provide living accommodations to their dependent parents are often frowned upon in India. Traditionally, as Indians get older and as they become less able to live independently, their adult children step in to take care of them, often moving them into their own homes to live with their families. If they cant do this, they assist them financially. In any event, they remain in close touch to ensure that their older parents are emotionally supported. There is
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no formal large scale social policy or support structure for housing for the elderly which allows for independent living. On the other hand, the senior housing sector is changing. Indeed, a recent article in construction industry journal EPC&I discussed the changing face of retirement in India and what it might mean to the housing sector. Today, retirement homes offer a multitude of facilities to their occupants. And, despite the social stigma of abandonment attached to it in India, there are rising numbers of seniors who are adapting to the idea of senior living. The status of seniors in Indian market is experiencing a sea-change, owing to their growing cohort size, augmented financial independence and change in mindset. They are no longer considered as a withdrawn, risk-averse and financially dependent class of citizens. The immense potential of this segment, with its unique needs and promises, offers an array of opportunities to the Indian real estate market. The changing environment was confirmed in a recent article in the Times of India which described activities at the 2011 Retirement India Expo. It's now pass to talk about loneliness and old age homes referring to the older population. In India it deserves a new name for new timesthe ultimate unretirement. The retirement yearsdefined for so long as a time to take rest and do nothingare becoming a time of high activity and purpose, the article noted. It continued Senior citizens no longer look upon shacking up in an exclusive facility made for their needs as a sad happening or a let down by their children but view the upcoming retirement homes as dignified spaces for their autumnal years where support systems are provided at a cost... Senior citizens went gaga sitting on a climber of staircases powered by electricity. It is so very necessary for business India to tap further into this ageing market and bring to the elderly comfort, convenience and enjoyment in later years. In the words of Dheeraj Sinha, author of Consumer India (2011) nearly 27 million elderly live in the top three SEC segementations meaning they have the purchasing power to make their lives padded by supports and enhancements. Chart 4 Employed and Unemployed Population and Labour Force Participation Rate 2006-2011
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Wheat-based foods are more common in the north and west of India due to a climate that supports wheat cultivation. Chapati is a common flat wheat bread consumed in those areas. Other unique foods and cooking styles found in north India include tandoori cooking, using a clay oven (tandoor) over a charcoal fire and cooking marinated meats on kebab skewers. In the south of India, rice cultivation is more common than wheat cultivation and this is reflected in local dishes. For example, dosas (savory stuffed flatbreads cooked like pancakes) are eaten along with curries together with dal (made from legumes), chickpeas and lentils. In western India, especially along the coast, coconuts and seafood are popular ingredients for local dishes. In eastern India, rice and seafood is very common but this region is also known for its special, delicious sweets that are often made with dairy products. Despite the growth in organized retail, the common perception among Indian consumers is that the produce in neighborhood street markets is fresher and more economically priced than produce in supermarkets and hypermarkets. This belief is reflected in their shopping habits and spending habits. Street vendors and vegetable vendors with carts are common sights in neighborhoods and they provide fresh supplies of vegetables and meat to consumers daily. As well, consumers still tend to prefer to purchase meat and seafood from fresh markets. Most households tend to shop for food frequently, with each trip usually meant to stock up for only two to three days rather than an entire week. This habit is changing somewhat, however, particularly in urban areas and among households with busy working women who have less time to spend grocery shopping so often. As well, many consumers return home tired from work and as shopping at unorganized street markets can be tiring and stressful, it is often avoided. For these and other reasons, a growing number of Indian consumers are turning to convenient and stress-free supermarkets and hypermarkets for their food shopping. Food shoppers frequenting supermarkets and hypermarkets tend to stock up for one to two weeks. They often buy frozen or chilled items, including ready meals, which typically can be stored for long periods. Frozen and chilled foods are preferred by consumers over ambient temperature prepared meals because the latter are considered less fresh. In the past, a big constraint affecting the availability of frozen/chilled food in India was the retailers and distributors lack of cold storage facilities and related infrastructure. But this has changed over the past five to seven years as a result of government initiatives and increased activity by industry players which has led to a dramatic improvement in the supply chain network and cold storage facilities. Even tier-two cities such as Lucknow, Chandigarh, Surat and Kochi have seen an increased retail presence of and, in turn, increased consumer demand for frozen processed foods. Indians have traditionally shown a strong preference for Indian flavours and cooking styles and even with interest in Western dishes on the rise most Indian consumers continue to prefer Indian-style dishes. Beyond Indian dishes, however, the more popular international cuisines (with meals often purchased as prepared ready meals and served at home) include Thai, Chinese, Mexican and Middle Eastern. Many of these international dishes are prepared with spices similar to those used in Indian dishes, making them popular among Indian consumers who love their spicy foods. Indian consumers often celebrate at home over home cooked meals. This is especially true during religious festivals. The main meals as well as the desserts and special celebratory food items are still typically cooked at home. However, in urban India, especially in households with working women, packaged food items are being rapidly adopted. Many Indian households have kitchens which are well-equipped with appliances. However, it must be noted that the household penetration rates for many modern kitchen appliances are low in less affluent homes and households in rural areas. Although India is a large volume market, household penetration rates and per capita ownership rates are low due to the differences in disposable income. Regardless, among the most popular appliances in Indian kitchens are
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blenders and grinders. Toasters, sandwich makers and other appliances used to prepare Western foods are not common but demand is rising due to the increasing adoption of Western breakfast and snack habits. Another new appliance which has become popular in recent years are microwave ovens, which Indian consumers use primarily for heating and reheating food rather than for microwave cooking. Aspiring consumers have created great demand for microwave ovens and their affordability now makes them more common in middle- and upperincome households. In contrast, it is not common to find coffee machines in the kitchens of teadrinking Indian consumers. As well, appliances such as juicers have become popular but these remain niche products found only in the most affluent households.
Dining Out
Although the majority of Indian consumers continue to prefer to dine at home, dining out has seen explosive growth in recent years. Indeed, over the past eight to 10 years Indian consumers, particularly urban consumers, seem to have found more occasions to celebrate and more opportunities to dine outside the home. Birthdays, wedding anniversaries, graduation parties, Valentines Day celebrations, reunion parties and many more occasions are celebrated by dining out, at least by affluent consumers. To meet the increased demand (and, in some ways, helping to drive it), a growing number of food service outlets have opened in recent years. In particular, there has been explosive growth in the number of Western dining formats, such as pizza restaurants and fast food outlets, in urban areas throughout India. According to the India Leisure and Entertainment Report by the Knowledge Tree company, dining out is now one of the three most popular recreational activities among Indian consumers. According to a 2011study on Indian consumers attitudes toward dining out conducted by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), traditional eating habits in India are changing and consumers who traditionally always ate at home are now increasingly dining out. Busy urban workers often pick up a quick breakfast from street stalls located close to office; lunch (and often dinner, too) is often purchased from stalls close to office. But while the vast majority of dining out consists of purchases at street stalls, restaurants have nevertheless accounted for a rapidly growing share. According to the USDA report, dining out in India used to be reserved only for special occasions but increasingly younger consumers and consumers from middle- and upperincome households are dining out more often. Many have shed the biases often held by older and more traditional consumers regarding the quality of international franchises and foreign foods in general. By 2011, consumers in most metropolitan areas had access to a wide range of chained consumer foodservice outlets, ranging from McDonalds to KFC to Dominos Pizza to BaskinRobbins ice cream shops. Several new independent competitors have also sprung up, offering quality food and high standards of hygiene and service. Additionally, older Indian chains such as Haldirams, Nirulas and Bikanerwala have all modernised their outlets, menus and service to compete with Western formats and new emerging Indian outlets. According to a recent report by industry journal Express Hospitality, the main dining out trends (in terms of cuisine) in 2011 were contemporary Indian; Asian street food and grill; Pan-Asian cuisine including Vietnamese, Malay, Korean and Thai foods served in informal dining venues; and gastro-lounge-bars that focus more on their food offerings without fussing about dcor. Restaurants serving organic dishes are still considered a niche segment but demand is growing rapidly among some health-conscious consumers. For example, Modak, which opened in 2010, serves organic thali (Indian set meals) while Lumiere sells dishes from a Pan-Indian menu prepared with organic produce. However, sourcing organic food remains expensive in India so this is still an option only for affluent diners. Although consumers can now choose from a wider range of menu items in most outlets, prices have risen rapidly in line with increasing food prices. Even key fast food brands like
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McDonalds and KFC have been careful about their pricing strategies in order to maintain sales and satisfy consumer demand. Many chains now provide diners with a mix of affordable items and higher-priced items. For example, KFC launched its street wise menu in 2011 while McDonalds continued to heavily promote its Rs20 menu items. Chains also increased the number of items on offer in a bid to increase average bill size.
Caf Culture
Indians are mainly tea drinkers and the country is dotted with a large number of small tea shops serving fresh and affordable tea. But the number of cafs has grown significantly in recent years, reflecting increased consumer demand for coffee as well as the comfortable ambiance of Western-style coffee shops. However, demand for specialty coffee remains a mainly an urban trend, driven by the tastes of affluent consumers. Hot coffees remains the most popular with cold coffee drinks still more of a novelty. Unlike consumers in Western countries, consumers in India do not often buy coffee to take away. There are two main reasons for the growth of cafs in India. First, the caf culture took wings with the liberalisation of the investment climate which prompted many international caf chains to enter the market. Second, foodservice players wanted to take advantage of the changing tastes and preferences of younger consumers with rising disposable incomes who are increasingly influenced by Western dining and drinking trends. As in Western countries, most modern cafs in India today are considered by consumers to be places to sit and relax and to escape from the stress of urban living. In other words, cafs are simply places to hang out. The posh Western interiors, good music and attractive lighting make cafs very interesting places for young consumers to spend their time. Visits to cafs are most frequent during the evenings, around lunch and around snack times. To broaden their consumer base, in 2011 some cafs experimented by offering different formats, such as cyber cafs, music cafs, garden cafs and cafs that encouraged leisurely reading. Some have also added food to their offerings and expanded their menus to include other beverages such as tea and juices.
Snacking Habits
Snacking is very popular in India, both among children and adults. Snack times for kids usually occur during the school snack break and during evening tea breaks. For adults, snacks are usually eaten in the evening during the tea break. Indian consumers (both kids and adults) tend to prefer salty, sweet and savory snacks rather than chocolate, confectionery and ice cream. (Although instant noodles have become a very popular snack for kids.) Popular sweet/savory snacks include potato chips/crisps, extruded snacks and traditional snacks such as crisp Bikaneri bhujia (often simply called bhujia), string-like fried sev and chivda, a snack made from beaten rice flakes. Although most traditional sweet/savory snacks consumed in Indi are unpackaged or homemade, the share of packaged traditional snacks has seen a significant increase in demand. This has been driven in large part by busy consumers not finding the time to prepare and cook their own snacks at home. As well, rising disposable incomes have allowed more consumers to buy conveniently packaged snacks. In recent years, there has been a broadening of the range of snacks flavoured with popular Indian flavours. This has been seen, in particular, in the wider availability and popularity of flavoured chips/crisps. The traditional flavours appeal to the stubborn Indian palate which finds it hard to break away from classic Indian flavours. To satisfy Indian consumers, Frito-Lay India has also incorporated Indian flavours with the launch of its lentil/dal-based extruded snacks. In recent years, Indian consumers have seen the downsizing of snack packs. Smaller, less expensive packs were introduced in order to cater to the demands of low-income and rural consumers. Smaller pack sizes have also been a big hit among children who find them easy to
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consume in a single snacking session. The smaller packs also appeal to health-conscious consumers who simply prefer small portions. Sweet and savory snacks have continued to hold their special place in the snacking pantheon in India despite the growing awareness among consumers of the sometimes adverse health effects related to eating (often fried) sweet and savory snacks. On the other hand, an increasing number of consumers have started to reduce the portion size of their snacks while others are opting for healthier snacks, i.e., those that are low-fat, low-sodium and baked rather than fried. A number of quality snacks have also been introduced but their higher prices make them affordable for only the most affluent consumers.
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groups. But even today, many in India frown upon consumption of alcoholic beverages by women. Prohibition is incorporated in the Indian Constitution among the principles of state policy. Prohibition was introduced and then withdrawn in Haryana and Andhra Pradesh in the mid-1990s although it continues in Gujarat with partial restrictions in other states (Delhi, for example, has dry days). There was an earlier failure of prohibition in Tamil Nadu as a great deal of illegal alcohol began circulating and deaths occurred. Apart from prohibition, the government has undertaken several other measures to regulate alcohol consumption. These include increasing excise taxes. But this has been found to be problematic as consumer demand is found to be inelastic to price changes. The traditional social stigma of drinking alcoholic beverages is dissipating rapidly, especially in urban areas. It is now even acceptable to see women consuming alcoholic beverages in fashionable pubs and upscale restaurants. In contrast, in rural areas consumers often drink cheap, low-quality liquor from street shops called thekas/addas. According to a recent article in the medical journal The Lancet, two-thirds of the alcohol drunk in India is unrecorded because it is either illicit home brew or because it has been smuggled into the country. According to a recent study by the World Health Organisation (WHO), a smaller proportion of Indians consume alcohol compared to consumers in Western countries. Indeed, the study notes that approximately 67% of males and 92% of females in India are lifetime abstainers. On the other hand, per capita consumption of alcohol in India increased from 3.3 litres in 2006 to 5.4 litres in 2011. Summing up the WHO study, the Times of India said Indians love their whisky, vodka and rum but are yet to develop a taste for wine. An average Indian adult (15 years and over) drank 2.6 litres of pure alcohol between 2003-05. This was higher than the per capita consumption in the south-east Asia region which stood at 2.2 litres. The article continued, noting that According to the Indian Alcohol Policy Alliance, which brought out an Alcohol Atlas of India a few years back, the average age of alcohol consumption in India has fallen by nearly nine years over the past decade. At present, an average Indian takes the first sip of alcohol at the age of 19 compared to 28 in the 1990s. Studies say that in another 5-7 years, a majority of Indians will start consuming alcohol at the age of 15... For every six men, one woman drinks alcohol in India. Indeed, among the various types of alcoholic beverages spirits are the most popular among Indian consumers. Traditional spirits, commonly known as country liquor, are found in many regions of India. Feni, a cashew spirit, and taadi, a toddy palm wine, are popular in Goa and South India and are sold unbranded. Country liquor sales are banned in several states as many suppliers dont follow prescribed regulations. With rising purchasing power and awareness of the health risks posed by country liquor, consumers are shifting to affordably priced branded spirits, including brandy, gin and rum. Despite the continued popularity of spirits, beer has seen phenomenal growth in demand in recent years. Indeed, per capita consumption of beer grew from 1.5 litres in 2006 to 2.5 litres in 2011. This was similar to the growth seen in per capita consumption of spirits, which increased from 1.8 litres in 2006 to 2.9 litres in 2011. Wine remained a distant third in terms of consumption but it has nevertheless seen stronger growth rates than spirits and beer in recent years. In large part, demand has been driven by young urban professionals who see wine as a healthier alternative to beer and spirits. As well, the price of wine has been declining in both offtrade and on-trade outlets, fuelling demand. The minimum age for the purchase of alcohol varies, going from 18 years-old in some states to 25 years-old in others. In 2011 the state of Maharashtra raised the legal drinking age to 25 years-old. The government also controls advertising of alcohol products. Demand for soft drinks has seen a massive increase in recent decades and it continues to grow. Per capita consumption of soft drinks increased from 2.9 litres in 2006 to 6.4 litres in 2011. Bottled water, carbonates and fruit juices are in greatest demand by consumers. In
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particular, bottled water accounted for two-thirds of volume sales in the soft drinks market in 2011. Indeed, per capita consumption of bottled water increased from 1.6 litres in 2006 to 4.3 litres in 2011. (In contrast, per capita consumption of fruit juices reached just 0.6 litres in 2011.) Bottled water has been available in India for over three decades but it has only been since the 1990s that health-conscious Indian consumers began driving increased demand. Other major contributing factors behind the popularity of bottled water include rising disposable incomes and the convenience of bottled water for on the go consumption. Demand for natural mineral water is also increasing due to the increase in awareness of its health benefits. Within the carbonates segment, low-calorie beverages and non-cola beverages saw strong growth in demand, again a reflection of rising health consciousness.
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alcohol. According an article on nightlife in India on website goindia.about.com, As drinking traditionally isnt part of Indias culture, the country's bars tend to be divided into two categories: cheap, seedy local bars frequented by Indias male population and classier venues catering to the progressive middle- and upper-class crowd. The latter can only be found in major cities. The site adds An interesting term used in India is that of the resto-pub or resto-bar. These are restaurants that double as places where you can drink, and sometimes dance later in the night, as many restaurants dont serve alcohol in India. Among rural and low-income consumers, the most common venues for consuming alcoholic drinks outside of the home are small street shops called theka/addas. These are small shanties selling cheap local liquor called tharra, taadi, desi or country liquor. Many are unlicensed. Among affluent consumers, going out for a drink can often be related to celebrating a special occasion or, in other cases, simply an opportunity to relax at a restaurant or discotheque. Increasingly, Indian consumers are combining dining out with drinking. Chart 9 Per Capita Consumption of Alcoholic Drinks and Soft Drinks by Category 2011
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Oral care products continue to be in great demand. Oral care regimens in India have evolved over the last two decades, with changes driven by growing awareness of the benefits of modern oral care, rising disposable incomes and heavy promotions and information campaigns by manufacturers. In recent years, many consumers have traded up from tooth powder to toothpaste and more have expanded their oral care regimens by adding mouthwashes and dental rinses. Moreover, some consumers have switched from cream to gel toothpastes while others purchased advanced formulas such as total care and whitening. In 2011, a small but notable trend was the growth in popularity of herbal and ayurveda-based toothpastes (based on alternative medicine native to India) which are perceived by some consumers to be more natural than standard products. Middle-aged consumers have driven increased demand for advanced skin care products, such as anti-aging products. Popular brands include Ponds Age Miracle Range and Olay Total Effects. These products mainly appeal to working women (especially those aged 30 years-old and older), who find that they need to take care of their appearances within the context of their jobs. Anti-aging products are quickly growing in popularity among other age groups and this is expected to drive even more demand in coming years. Since light skin is traditionally highly valued in India, most consumers, particularly women, are very aware of the extent of their exposure to the sun. Traditionally, consumers used a variety of measures to avoiding direct sun exposure, including using home remedies such as papaya fruit masks. More modern consumers resort to the ever-popular skin cream Fair and Lovely from Hindustan Unilever, which many believe prevents them from getting darker skin as a result of sun exposure. In more recent years, however, sun protection and sun protection products have come to be more closely associated with the health of the skin rather than simply ensuring lighter or fairer skin.
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At the same time, there has been increased consumer demand for imported cosmetics. According to a recent report on beauty website beautypackaging.com, the emergence of a young, urban elite group of women with increasing disposable incomes, changing lifestyles, mounting aspirations and an increasing appetite for Western goods is driving demand for imported cosmetic products. For the most part, Indian consumers tend to look towards international brands as lifestyle enhancers and they believe that these products have superior quality over domestic brands. As clear and healthy skin has traditionally been perceived in Indian culture as a mark of beauty, it is not surprising that there has great demand amongst consumers for skin care products, including whiteners, anti-blemish creams, nourishers/anti-agers and firming/anticellulite products. Consumers, particularly young consumers, are expected to continue to pamper themselves and to use portions of their rising disposable incomes to purchase premium skin care products in coming years. Cosmetic surgery has become more popular among affluent Indian consumers, spurred by greater exposure to global fashion trends, rising incomes and safer surgical procedures. The number of both invasive and non-invasive procedures has increased in recent years and it is expected that growth in demand will continue. Facelifts, facial skin surgeries, rhinoplasty, cosmetic dental treatments and tummy tucks remain among the popular current surgery choices. Encouraged by consumers efforts to fix their imperfections, some obstetricians, dentists and other specialists have begun to add aesthetic cosmetic surgery procedures to their therapeutic offerings.
Male Grooming
The mens grooming segment remains dominated by very basic products, such as razors, blades and shaving creams/gels. However, consumer demand for more sophisticated grooming products, such as skin care and hair styling products, has increased in recent years. Indeed, between 2006 and 2011 per capita spending on mens grooming increased nearly 1.3 times. For the most part, cultural changes have made it much more acceptable for men to spend their time and money on grooming and looking good. In particular, younger men tend to be less shy about spending money on grooming products. In recent years, an increasing number of male consumers have been trading up to premium products. For example, there has been growing demand for premium mens whitening creams from Garnier and Vaseline. There has also been greater demand for high-quality branded mens deodorants, such as Axe, Set Wet and Wild Stone. New premium variants positioned as herbal are also growing in popularity. For example, Gatsby recently launched its New Whitening Wash Foam that contains yam bean powder to whiten and condition the skin and plant fibres to exfoliate the skin. Products from multinational brands such as Gillette remain the most popular among male consumers in India. But increased demand for mass market products has spurred the launch of many domestic brands from such companies as Paras Pharmaceuticals, Emami and Godrej Consumer Products. According to Devendra Chawla, Head of Private Brands at retail chain Future Group, Growth is coming not just from metros, but small towns, too, driven by rising incomes and the growing penetration of TV promotions. A variety of new hair styles among men has emerged in India in recent years, but most recently it has been popular for men to wear their hair short. Crop cuts are common but spikes are becoming more popular with men up to their mid-thirties. Long hair is still not widespread (and not encouraged in professional settings) but stylish iconic celebrities such as Shahrukh Khan and Hritik Roshan have sported long hair intermittently since 2010 in order to make a style statement. Beards are not the normthey are considered to be a bit old-fashionedbut stylish
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beards such as the short French beard have been spotted occasionally on celebrities who sought to present new and different images.
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and banking and financial services. Brands popular among these consumers include Wills Lifestyle, Allen Solly, Louise Philippe and Raymond. On the other hand, while Western attire has become much more common it has not become dominant. In most urban centres, a unique trend seen over the past four to five years has been to wear so-called fusion clothing, a mix of ethnic Indian and Western wear. Brands popular among consumers that have capitalised on the ethnic fashionable look include Fab India and Cotton World. Over the years, younger consumers have shifted from traditional Indian attire to jeans and Tshirts/blouses. Even many consumers well into their thirties and forties now dress in jeans since Western wear has become more socially acceptable. The traditional sari is now mainly worn by older women and women in rural areas and smaller towns. Beside saris, popular clothing in the rural areas includes salwar kameez for women and shirts/trousers for men. Casual T-shirts, jeans, capris and shorts are becoming more common but they are still frowned upon for women. Traditionally, it was common for women to wear head scarves or face veils as a mark of modest dressing. But these symbols are fast disappearing, even among women from conservative small towns and villages. However, for celebrations Indians still prefer to dress traditionally, wearing clothes that give a rich and exotic look with heavy embroidery/adornment. A recent report from RBC Radio attempted to list and explain traditional Indian clothing for its North American listeners. For women, clothing items described included the sari, an extremely versatile garment. It simply consists of a single, rectangular piece of material, five to six yards in length, accommodating any size. The style, color, and texture of this material vary according to region and caste. Different draping styles convey the status, age, occupation, region, and/or religion of the wearer; the choli, tightly fitted complimentary coloured, short blouse worn under a sari. Originally, cholis only covered the front, now they have evolved to include versions covering front and back to midriff; the lehanga, a pleated skirt worn mostly in Rajasthan. Worn with a choli, it is secured at the waist, leaving the back and midriff bare. A length of fine cotton called a dupatta, completes the ensemble, covering the head; and the salwar kameez, which started as an alternative dress form in Kashmir and Punjab, it has grown in popularity all over India, especially with younger women. Salwars are pyjama-like trousers gathered at the waist and ankles, worn underneath a long, loose tunic known as a kameez. The report also described traditional clothing for men. Though the majority of Indian women wear traditional costumes, the men in India can be found in more conventional Western clothing, the report noted. Shirts and trousers are worn by men from all regions in India. However, men in villages are still more comfortable in traditional attire. For the most part, traditional mens clothing consists solely of a lungi or hoti. A lungi is a short length of material worn around the thighs like a sarong, while a dhoti is simply a longer lungi with an extra piece of material drawn up between the legs. As well, men wear a sherwani, a coat-like garment, worn by men, fitted close to the body, of knee-length or longer and opening in front with buttonfastenings. Below, the men wear a garment for the lower part of the body, baggy and wide at the top tied with a string at the waist and tight around the legs and ankles. It is a very elegant dress for the men and mostly worn during ceremonies. Finally, there are Kurtas, a knee-length collarless shirt which is adorned in mostly white or pastel colours and pyjamas, loose trousers with a string tie at the waist. Traditionally white in colour. Hindi film industry (Bollywood) stars and actors and actresses from popular Indian TV shows also wield significant influence over fashion trends in India. For example, in popular TV shows such as Kyunki saas bhi kabhi bahu thi, Kahani gahr ghar ki, TV stars wore heavy makeup, lots of jewellery and heavily embroidered saris. This influenced mass market fashion and heavy make-up and ornate saris became very popular among many Indian consumers.
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attractive of all forms of body decoration. In fact, in the 16 decorations for personal grooming (solah-shrungar), bindi is the first shrungaar and has a strong religious implication. Bindi, which means dot, is also known as sindoor, tilaka, tilak, tilakam, tika and pottu. The placement of the bindi on the forehead between the eyebrows is highly significant: The area where the bindi is positioned is said to be the location of the Agnya Chakra (the subtle spiritual eye) in the language of yoga which is said to be the major nerve centre in the human body. To the spiritual seeker, the tilaka made of sandalwood paste serves as a reminder of a seeker's ultimate goal, i.e., enlightenment. Mehndi, henna painting on the body, is a traditional form of personal adornment in India (as well as in the Middle East and Africa). According to earthenna.com, The henna plant is believed to bring love and good fortune and to protect against evil. Mehndi is traditionally practiced for wedding ceremonies, during important rites of passage, and in times of joyous celebration. A paste made from the crushed leaves of the henna plant is applied to the skin and when removed several hours later, leaves beautiful markings on the skin that fades naturally over one to three weeks.
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Regional Ranking of Consumer Expenditure on Clothing and Footwear as a Proportion of Total Consumer Expenditure 2011
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some of the more remote areas of the country. Spurred by rising consumer incomes and greater demand for better medical services, the quality of healthcare services has been improving and this has led, in turn, to a rise in the cost of healthcare services. In 2011, per capita government spending on health was Rs402.5, up from Rs262.4 in 2006. The cost of private healthcare is very high, especially in urban areas. The bulk of consumer spending on healthcare tends to be for private sector services; indeed, spending on private sector services accounted for 64% of total consumer health expenditure in 2011. According to a recent report based on research from Institute for Social and Economic Change (Bangalore), the London School of Economics and the Centre for the Study of African Economies at the University of Oxford, In south India, even poor people use private healthcare more often than public healthcare...In addition, nearly 70% of poor peoples healthcare expenditure is on private healthcare...Out of all health incidents for which poor households sought treatment, 60% were treated at private clinics or hospitals. The corresponding proportion for the non-poor was 69%. Overall, there is a shortage of adequately trained doctors, nurses and healthcare workers in India and this shortage has enabled providers to charge premium prices for their services. But the same shortage has made access to healthcare services challenging for rural and lowincome patients. According to the Medical Council of India (MCI), the doctor/ patient ratio in 2011 was about one doctor per 2,000 people; in contrast, the international recommended ratio is one doctor per 1,500 people. To ease this personnel shortage in rural areas, the MCI has approved and instituted a threeand-half-year course on rural healthcare for students from rural areas only. Students passing the course will eventually be licensed to practise only in their designated rural area. In another effort to improve the quality of healthcare services provided to rural and low-income consumers, the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) was initiated in 2005. According to a recent article in the Times of India, Indias flagship National Rural Health Mission has started to make large strides by ramping up the human resource strength. Despite many doctors refusing to practise in rural settings, the Ministry of Health added nearly 1.4 lakh [140,000] health officials up to last September11,712 doctors/specialists, 10,851 specialists practising Indian systems of medicine, 66,784 auxiliary nurse midwives, 32,860 staff nurses and 14,434 paramedics. As well, the government has made efforts to mobilise doctors from the traditional Indian healthcare systems. For example since 2006 the government has increased budget outlays for expansion of the AYUSH infrastructure throughout the country. According to the Times of India, the most recent government budget also provides support for the expansion of alternative medicine services. The Ministry [of Health] has also been pushing for integrating ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, unani, siddha and homeopathy (AYUSH) into the national healthcare delivery system. Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Mizoram, Manipur and Tripura are being assisted to set up 50bed hospitals, and Sikkim and Assam for 10bed AYUSH hospitals. In order to develop and promote the Indian system of medicines in an organized and scientific manner, over Rs900 crore [crore equals 10 million] was allocated in 201112. The government has also undertaken several information campaigns to make the population more aware of the benefits of the alternative medicine.
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generally more sedentary lifestyles. Rising obesity rates and lifestyle diseases such as cardiac disease and diabetes have also alarmed many Indians. As a result, compared to other developed countries, the culture for health and wellness in India is considered by many to be in need of rejuvenation. Since the 1990s there has indeed been a growing awareness among many Indians of the benefits of living a healthier lifestyle, reflected by the growth of 30% in per capita spending on health and wellness products between 2006 and 2011. Many consumers have become more careful about avoiding unhealthy foods, i.e., those with high levels of fat and sugar and those with high caloric values. Indeed, the increased availability of healthier food options has led consumers to now seek out products that are low-fat, sugar-free and low in calories. At the same time, many consumers have also started to spend more time and money on fitness, exercise and weight-loss programmes. Influenced by the celebrity culture, including the well-publicised lives of Bollywood film stars, many Indians, particularly women, aspire to be thin and some even seek size zero figures. There is also a trend among Indian men to look fit and muscular. As a result, there has been a rapid rise in the number of fitness centres opened across the country. As well, there has been increased consumer demand for slimming and weight-loss products. Driven by strong consumer demand, more health and wellness packaged food and beverages brands have become available in recent years. For example, Dabur India launched two superfruit juices, cranberry and pomegranate, while ITC introduced oat fibre Marie biscuits. Dit Foods India introduced healthier chocolate confectionery, pastries and cookies while Nestl India introduced fortified cooking sauces which can be added to food. Hindustan Unilever introduced a vitamin-enriched tea while GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare introduced fortified instant noodles. However, these products are relatively expensive and appeal mainly to affluent consumers. Dahi (yogurt) is a traditional Indian favourite and usually prepared at home by consumers. But with lifestyles getting busier, there is less time to prepare dahi at home and packaged yogurts are being enthusiastically adopted by consumers. Consumers have become very enthusiastic about naturally healthy beverages such as green tea and 100% juices with many preferring them over carbonates. Further, many consumers are going beyond simple bottled water and looking for products such as natural mineral water. This was reflected in the growing demand for brands such as Himalayan Mineral Water, Qua and Evian, which are being increasingly stocked by leading supermarkets and hypermarkets.
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endorsements on national and regional TV networks. The company also relaunched the Dabur Hingoli brand in the anti-flatulent category in a bid to refresh the brand in the minds of the consumers. Presenting it in a more modern form helped position what was considered an ageold herbal remedy into a modern and safe digestive remedy. In India, many prescription medicines are sold illegally under the counter and many consumers purchase these without a doctors prescription. Many consumers, particularly lowincome, rural and older consumers, cannot afford prescription medicines and often just purchase OTC or prescription medicines without visiting a doctor. High prices for prescription drugs may be alleviated somewhat in coming years as a result of a recent decision by Indian Patent Office to grant the first compulsory license to Hyderabad-based drug-maker Natco to make and sell a version of Bayers Nexavar, a drug used to treat liver and kidney cancer. (A compulsory licence is granted by a country on health grounds, where patients are unable to access a life-saving medicine.) According to a report in The Hindu newspaper, The judgment reasoned that the patent-holder, Bayer, had not met the reasonable requirement of the public. It had not worked the patent or manufactured it to a reasonable extent in India. Besides, the drug was not available at an affordable price. Because of its high price, the report continued, Only 2% of the 8,842 patients needing the drug got the medicine...The patients needing the drug far exceed the supply of the product the Patent Office declared. In a separate article, The Hindu noted potential future benefits to health consumers in India. The bold move on compulsory licensing should be a first step in a process of reform and price controls that will make available essential drugs to all Indians at little or no direct cost, the article said. Drawing up a strong essential drug list to suit the current national disease profile is important. The public sector pharmaceutical industry and its capability to produce generic drugs have a strong role to play in such a plan, and deserves encouragement to revive its fortunes. This initiative is crucial to the universal health coverage that the Indian government wants to provide to all its citizens in coming years, starting with the Twelfth Plan. It should also serve as a clear signal to pharmaceutical companies to stop extracting staggering profits from a market with weak social support mechanisms.
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awareness of the health benefits of exercise. It is also much more socially acceptable for older women (rather than younger women) to be associated closely with sport activities. Yoga is Indis traditional health and fitness activity. It had been considered a bit old-fashioned until about a decade ago when there was a big resurgence of interest among members of all age groups. In response to the huge interest in yoga, several yoga training centres opened all over the country. These included fashionable and expensive yoga programmes such as the Art of Living and Power Yoga. Several other fitness regimens have also become popular, particularly among women in urban areas. These include Wii Fitness, Zumba, tai chi, aerobics and pilates. As well, an increasing number of Indians are enlisting in fun fitness centres where the workouts are not too stressful. Perhaps reflecting their greater awareness of international trends, many corporate executives in India spend time staying fit. Many are working out in gyms, running and exercising. According to a recent survey published in the Times of India, 18% of Indian corporate executives said they even carry sports clothing and sports shoes with them when they travel on business.
Obesity
Obesity rates are rising rapidly in India and the number of people considered to be obese in 2011 was 2% of the population, significantly higher than in 2006 when it was 1.4% of the population. According to a recent study conducted by Saffolalife, a not-for-profit initiative by foods company Marico, the north Indian cities of Delhi and Chandigarh are the countrys obesity capitals with 53% of those surveyed being obese. The studys breakup shows that every second woman is obese and the worst-affected age group is the 24-39 year olds bracket. Poorer states or smaller cities and towns have a lower proportion of obese people. And obesity is higher in urban, affluent, wired and low on physical exercise urban India. The Saffolalife Study also shows that the 30-39 age group has higher lipid readings and higher BMIs (basal metabolic rate index). Although India's obesity problem is lower than countries such as the United States, there is a cause for concern, since the rate of the rise has been very high and if this rate were to continue in the future it would have serious health consequences at an aggregate level. Indian adults have become more aware of the adverse health effects of being overweight and/or obese. Many are using a combination of techniques to arrest rising weight gain, including restricting calories, undertaking diets for weight loss, signing up for regular gym workouts and physical exercise, including using yoga for weight loss and improving fitness. Consumers are also resorting to adding low-fat foods to their diets and using slimming products, OTC drugs and herbal remedies. Per capita spending on weight-management products increased four-fold between 2006 and 2011. According to several industry reports, 20% of the Indian school children are considered to be overweight. Further, it is estimated that a further 15% of the student population is at the risk of becoming overweight. Not surprisingly, many parents are becoming alarmed. Among the reasons for this are high academic pressures that leave little time for physical activities as well as increasingly sedentary lifestyles that lead to spare time being spent on computers and mobile phones and watching TV. Some cultural factors are also in play; common misperceptions include the belief that baby fat will eventually disappear and that chubby children are healthy. Chart 15 Growth in OTC Expenditure on Pharmaceuticals Compared with Healthy Life Expectancy at Birth 2006-2011
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Attitudes To Smoking
India is the second-largest consumer of tobacco in the world. In an effort to reduce prevalence, the government has implemented several measures, including a public smoking ban in 2008. As well, the government mandates that producers must display graphic health warnings on tobacco packaging and they cannot advertise or promote their products. Indeed, India has some of the toughest legislative measures concerning the advertising of tobacco products in the world. Tobacco advertising in all forms of media, including television, radio, outdoor media and the press, has been banned since 2004. Since 2005, it has no longer been possible for any person, individual or character in films or on television to be depicted using cigarettes or other tobacco products (except for certain specific exemptions). Indirect advertising is also prohibited and the sponsorship of sporting and cultural events (including music concerts) is strictly prohibited. The government has also initiated a series of ongoing excise tax increases on cigarettes and tobacco. In many cases, the higher cost for cigarettes has simply led to many consumers trading down to beedis and other less expensive tobacco products. For the most part, the 2008 public smoking ban is weakly enforced. On the other hand, some argue that the ban has been relatively successful, based on a highly committed government, greater consumer awareness and a current law far clearer than laws implemented in the past. A recent article on globalpost.com reported that The [current] ban, unlike previous ones that had loopholes, made rules regarding where people can smoke extremely clear, says Prakash Gupta, the director of the Healis-Sekhsaria Institute for Public Health in Mumbai. A restaurant can only have a smoking area, for example, if the section is physically separate, follows special air pressure rules and does not serve food or drinks. Public support for the ban has also played a role in consumer acceptance, Gupta noted, adding that 92% of respondents in cities across India strongly favour regulations to make public places and work places smoke-free, according to a 2008 poll published by the Institute. Nevertheless, focusing on the ban in Mumbai, the article noted While the enforcement of the ban is generally high and extends to workplaces and train and bus stations, it is far from universal. A smoker can still find public places indoors to light up, such as so-called country liquor bars that serve cheap alcohol and in hookah lounges. Smoking cessation aids have been available to consumers in India for many years. Popular OTC nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products include Nulife Chewettes from Ceejay Healthcare, Eucomint and Good Kha, which is flavoured to mimic the taste of gutka, a form of chewing tobacco which is popular in rural India. Prescription-only products are also available, including Pfizers Champix and Sun Pharmaceuticals Smoquit. However, due to the limited availability of these products and their high prices, NRT smoking cessation aids have not had any significant effect on smoking prevalence in India. Chart 17 Smoking Prevalence amongst Men and Women 2006-2011
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Chart 18
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SHOPPING HABITS
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Personal Shopping
Consumers who can afford it typically shop for cosmetics and toiletries once a month. Since these products are widely distributed, consumers can buy them in almost any type of retailer, including grocery stores (including kirana stores, supermarkets and hypermarkets); non-grocery retailers (including pharmacies and drug stores; health and beauty specialist retailers; and mixed retailers (including department stores). Consumers are increasingly also going to nonstore retailers, in particular internet retailers and direct sales companies. Amway India Enterprises along with Avon Beauty Products India, Oriflame India, Modicare and Hindustan
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Lever Network sell directly to consumers and offer a wide range of skin care products, colour cosmetics, fragrances and bath and shower products. Consumers appreciate the attractive prices and the convenience of shopping without having to go to a store. Traditional kirana stores and other small shops often do not have enough shelf space to display a wide range of personal care items. In contrast, supermarkets and hypermarkets have spacious and attractive shelf displays as well as special display counters. As a result, consumers are increasingly buying personal products from supermarkets and hypermarkets at the expense of specialists. On the other hand, when shopping for clothing and footwear consumers tend to shop in specialist retailers. This was reflected in the value share of more than 90% registered by clothing and footwear specialists in 2011. Additionally, nearly every city has markets and designated areas where a wide range of value for money apparel and footwear can be found. Examples include Sarojini Nagar and Chandni Chowk in Delhi and Linking Road in Mumbai. These are popular shopping areas, particularly among middle-income consumers. Like most consumers seeking luxury goods, Indians tend to prefer exclusive retailers. Often, these retailers are located in five-star hotels such as the Taj and Leela Kempinski. As well, they are can be found in the prime shopping areas of cities. Delhis luxury mall DLF Emporio houses many luxury retailers and attracts shoppers not only from the immediate area but from nearby cities in north India such as Chandigarh and Lucknow. Consumers in India shopping for luxury products also tend to look for luxury service. Consumers care greatly about choosing retailers which have trained staff who offer the best service. Celebrity product endorsements have been around in India since the 1980s and consumers have become accustomed to them. Companies have engaged Bollywood mega-stars such as Shahrukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Amir Khan Kareen Kapur and Priyanka Chopra and cricket icons such as Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni to endorse a wide range of personal products, including soaps, shampoos, hair colours, watches and premium clothing and sportswear. According to the Adex Survey of TAM Media Research, MS Dhoni, Sachin and Sharukh Khan continued to be top celebrities for brand endorsement in 2010. Among female celebrities, Kareena Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Kajol and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan were some of the most popular Bollywood beauties endorsing products. Celebrity endorsements have a huge impact on consumers purchasing decisions and it is expected that celebrities will continue to play a role in the advertising of personal products in coming years.
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and laptops from companies such as Dell as well as mobile phones. Media products such as books and DVDs were also popular items for online purchases. Consumers in India go to popular internet retailers such as flipkart.com and infibeam.com. Although some grocery retailers have launched internet sites, few consumers use them. Other popular internet retail sites include multi-product internet retailers such as Futurebazaar, Shoppers Stop, Cafegadgets, Indiatimes and Rediff; vertical shopping retailers such as Fern N Petals and Dell India; and comparison shopping sites such as olmol and Naaptol. It was recently estimated that India had 500 million mobile phone subscribers. Regardless, mcommerce is still in its infancy, the key reason being that most merchants in India do not have the tools or the infrastructure to accommodate mobile payments. M-commerce is mainly popular among young urban, educated consumers who use it for a variety of transactions such as buying cinema tickets and airline tickets and transferring money. Some of the leading services include Nokias joint effort with Yes Bank and Obopay to launch Mobile Money in India, ICICI Banks mCheck services and IDBI Banks alliance with PayMate, a mobile commerce company. But since most consumers are still a bit wary of the safety of m-commerce, the Reserve Bank of India has been working to increase the already stringent standards to ensure safe m-commerce transactions. Chart 19 Importance of Hypermarkets, Supermarkets and Discounters within Grocery Retailing 2011
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Chart 20
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the rapid growth of Indias gaming industry. According to a recent article in the Times of India, in 2011 gaming in the country was valued at Rs14 billion. Trends in types of games played are changing as Indian consumers demand more local content. According to a report from gamasutra.com, games based on NBA basketball and FIFA football used to dominate the Indian gaming industry but these are now being swept aside by India-flavoured games, including games based on blockbuster Indian movies such as Ghajini and Zindagi na milegi dobara
Going Out
Leisure activities undertaken by Indians when they go out of their homes vary according to such factors as age, income levels and whether they live in urban or rural areas. For example, people living in rural areas tend to visit friends and family at their homes more often while urban dwellers, flush with a wide range of out-of-home leisure and recreation options, often meet up at venues other than homes. A common activity in both urban and rural areas is going to the cinema. With the large Hindi film industry and the equally large regional film industry, the variety of movies is impressive. Consumers can usually find whatever type of film suits their taste. Going to the cinema is also one of the more affordable entertainment options and that has made it very popular among Indian consumers. Another common (and affordable) activity is going on picnics at nearby parks, beaches or other locations of interest. Many families, as well as groups of friends, often plan and go on picnics when they are seeking an opportunity to relax. Generally, according to a recent article on leisure trends in the Times of India, the increasingly busy pace of urban living in India is driving a greater appreciation of down time in the country and consumers are becoming more and more willing to spend money on relieving their stress. Tourism website india-hotel.net notes that As a rule, traditional Indians did not used to believe in nightlife and its associated activities. However with Western influences and work ethics coming in, the rules of the game have changed. Most big towns and cities have pubs and discos that are open all through the week. Even then the major crowds will only surface on the weekends yet from time to time some events are organized which will draw in the crowds. Indeed, cities such as Mumbai offer a wide range of nightlife activities and venues for those who want to go out for entertainment and relaxation. These include restaurants of all sizes and price ranges as well as clubs, lounge bars and discotheques for younger consumers. Young Indians typically go out to socialise on a weekly basis but some go out more often. According to website goindia.about.com, In most cities in India, nightlife is early to start and early to end because of the curfews in place. While Mumbai may have the biggest selection of party places in the country, come 1.30am theyre all starting to close for the night. With a few exceptions, the scene is similar in Delhi and even worse in Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad which have 11pm or 11.30pm curfews. Even in Goa, most places are forced to close by 10pm due to noise restrictions. Many venues have found that the solution to the curfews is to open during the day or early evening. A ban on dancing was introduced in Bangalore in 2008, but it was finally removed in late 2011 after a series of protests.
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Al-Fitr usually falls around September. There are also three other holidays commonly celebrated in India. These include Independence Day (15 August), Republic Day (26 January) and Gandhi Jayanti (2 October). Gift-giving is common during some of the leading holidays as well as on occasions such as birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and, increasingly, new Western-style occasions such as Valentines Day, Friendship Day, Mothers Day and Fathers Day, all of which have become popular over the past decade. Birthday gifts vary across age range, income group and gender. Books, toys, clothing and stationery remain popular gift items for students. Accessories, cosmetics and jewellery are common gifts for younger women and girls. For adults, popular birthday gifts include books, personal items and household items such as gardening tools and home repair kits for Dads and kitchenware for Mothers. Consumer electronics products are popular among those who can afford to give them; these include such items as mobile phones and accessories and digital cameras. Weddings are also appropriate occasions to give gifts. Most couples do not have a wedding registry at a store so most gifts from well-wishers are handed to them directly. Cash, jewellery, household items and expensive clothing and accessories are common wedding gifts. Other popular wedding gifts include gift vouchers, holiday packages and spa vouchers. Other occasions for gift-giving include house warming parties, baby showers and school/university graduation. Greeting cards are popular mainly among school and university students and other younger Indians. Cards are common for birthdays, as a thank you and for other specific occasions. But sharing feelings through cards (without meeting in person) is sometimes considered to be a bit impersonal for some Indians. It is still important to visit the person rather than just sending a card, especially during sad occasions. Indian consumers have easy access to card shops and there are a large number of independent stores in most cities selling cards and small gifts. There are also large card and gift chains, such as Archies Gift Gallery, which are very popular among consumers.
Culture
Traditional Indian culture is rich in music, dance, art, theatre, literature and architecture. Indian culture has developed over the past 4,000 years and this is reflected by its diversity and complexity. The presence of nearly all of the major religions in the world (Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism and Buddhism), the presence of dozens of regional languages and the diverse racial stock, among them Aryans, Dravidians and Mongols, have all contributed significantly and uniquely to the culture of the country. The active appreciation of Indian culture seems to be pursued mainly by serious enthusiasts rather than the general consumers. Popular culture has shifted to other forms of dance and music, such as Bollywood, Indipop and WesternIndian fusion. Hindi cinema, TV soap operas, TV game shows and reality shows and other expressions of mass media seem to have a great influence on popular culture. Indian classical dance has roots in religion as well as in literary texts. The two main texts from which several classical dance forms have emerged are Natyashastra (Science of Dance) and Abhinaya Darpana (Mirror of Gesture). Both are estimated to be between 1,700 to 2,200 yearsold. There are eight classical dance forms with the most notable coming from south India (Bharatnatyam, Kathakali, Kuchiopudi), east India (Manipuri, Oddisi) and north India (Kathak). The government-run National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama promotes the performing arts, providing financial assistance, venues and training as well as domestic and overseas promotion of Indian dance. It is still common for young girls from all regions to be trained in traditional classical dance forms, and it is considered a reflection of refinement and culture to be trained in traditional dance. Training is not very expensive, although it is rigorous and it takes a long time to achieve high standards. In addition to classical dances, all regions of India are
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home to free form/folk dance tradition. Examples include bhangra in the north Indian state of Punjab and dandiya from the western state of Gujarat. Bollywood dancing (dance forms popular in the Hindi film industry) is one of the most popular forms of dance in India. With great popularity and high TV viewership, national dance competitions highlighting Bollywood dance have become very popular. Several training schools have opened across India and Indians of all ages, desperate to get the chance to participate in national TV dance competitions, are enthusiastically enrolling in these coaching classes. Highly evolved forms of classical and folk music from all regions of India also abound. Key classical music forms include Hindustani classical from north India and Carnatic music from south India. Various folk music genres from different regions of India add to the diverse repertoire of Indian music. In addition to these classic music genres, the Bollywood music industry produces a wide range of music popular among the Indian masses. Indeed, film music accounts for more than 70% of all music sales in the country. Other current musical forms include Indipop and, with the growing influence of Western music, a type of Western-Indian fusion has become popular. Other popular music includes folk music, or Sufi music. Light classical, Sufi and fusion music are popular among many young modern urbanites while Indipop and Western music is popular at dance parties. Chart 21 Cinema Attendances 2006-2011
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Regional Ranking of Consumer Expenditure on Leisure and Recreation as a Proportion of Total Consumer Expenditure 2011
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Attitudes To Gardening
In most cities, inhabitants tend to live in small apartments with no gardens. For that matter, there is often not even enough space potted plants. For the most part, home gardens are limited to affluent households. This is in sharp contrast to many Western countries where a large proportion of families live in homes with gardens. As a consequence, demand for gardening tools, supplies and services is much less in India that it is in Western countries. Even in those Indian homes that do have gardens, gardening work is generally done by hired gardeners rather than by home owners. Hiring gardeners is affordable and in many ways a mark of status. Moreover, Indian consumers tend to have little knowledge of growing and maintaining gardens. Unlike in the West, gardening in India is considered a chore rather than a relaxing and enjoyable pastime. Most hired gardeners purchase the needed supplies and tools as most home owners have little knowledge about what is required. While there are not many specialist stores or large chains dedicated to gardening (such as gardening centres), there are nevertheless good nurseries which supply plants and seeds as well as garden tools and accessories such as plastic and ceramic pots, rocks and pebbles, soil, organic fertilizers and organic pesticides. Although there is not a huge trend toward growing fruit and vegetables at home for personal consumption, awareness and interest is growing, particularly among affluent home owners and those with a passion for healthy foods. Chart 23 Number of Home Owners and New Dwellings Completed 2006-2011
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Chart 24
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than just working animals. Thus, dogs are no longer regarded merely as house guards. In light of this, pet owners are increasingly buying advanced pet care products such as branded pet food, pet oral care products, pet shampoos and bath and shower products, pet vitamins and nutritional supplements and pet furnishings, such as beds. According to a recent article in The Economic Times, until about a decade ago pet owners tended to feed their pets home cooked food, as they considered this more nutritious. But this perception has changed thanks to mass advertising from pet food companies and growing advice from veterinary doctors. Today, most pet owners (especially affluent pet owner) feed their animals a great deal more of branded packaged pet foods in order to provide better and more balanced nutrition. Consumers have made Pedigree the leading brand in dog food. Other popular brands include Royal Canin, Purina and Whiskas. In recent years, pet owners have increasingly become more particular about specific foods formulated to address the specific ages or conditions of dog, for example special food for senior dogs and puppies. The increased fondness for keeping pets has led some affluent consumers to buy premium items such as inflatable pet swim pools and buggies, luxury shampoos with evening primrose oil and pet dietary supplements. According to The Economic Times, some affluent dog owners have even purchased premium dog leashes from brands such as Gucci and LMVH. In other instances, affluent pet owners have taken their pets to pet counselling services using crystal therapy, pet massage parlours and toenail painting salons for cats while others have switched to expensive organic pet food. Taking a cue from this trend, many supermarkets and hypermarkets have dedicated separate sections of their stores to stock pet care products. Chart 25 Pet Population and Sales of Pet Food 2006-2011
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Chart 26
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Indian consumers tend to prefer hatchbacks with very small engine sizes (the majority of Indian cars have an engine size of one litre). As well, the considerable difference in price between petrol and diesel fuels has driven significant demand for diesel cars. Information from various industry reports indicate that consumers top preference in terms of colour is silver followed by white, red and blue. Black, which is popular in other markets, is not popular in India because it is associated with corporate cars or cars owned by businesses rather than by consumers. According to the National Highways Authority of India, nearly 80% of passenger traffic in the country is carried on the nations roads. The overall road network, the second-largest in the world, includes 71,772 kilometres of national highways (national highways carry 40% of total road traffic), 1.3 million kilometres of state highways, 4.7 million kilometres of major district roads and 26.5 million kilometres of rural and other roads. According to a recent report from Reuters, India is taking on several projects in coming years to help it reach its goal of adding 20 kilometres of new road per day. Currently, India's road network is the world's second largest, but its densely populated cities are heavily congested and inter-city highways clogged up with trucks, tractors and even livestock in more rural areas the article noted. However, planned investment will boost to the government's ambitious target to pour US$1.5 trillion into infrastructure...to help unclog its congested roads and ports, and build world class airports and underground metros.
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also avail taxi services in India by calling taxis. There are organizations, which send taxis to the home of the caller, upon request over telephone. There are also 'pre-paid taxi booths' located in important points across the city like rail stations, airports etc., where you can book your cab by paying the stipulated amount before boarding taxi. As well, many travellers wanting to get around in Indias cities hire one of the many auto-rickshaws that roam the streets soliciting passengers. In rural areas, Indians tend to use bicycles for getting around. However, the use of bicycles is associated with low-income, uneducated households and most consumers aspire to upgrade to mopeds, scooters or motorbikes as soon as they are able to afford them. Bicycles are also used by low-income Indians in cities and it can be very dangerous since they use the same roads as cars, buses and trucks. This is often a recipe leading to severe road accidents. Often there are no cycle lanes in urban areas and, when sometimes when cycle lanes are present, many cyclists avoid them. Generally, the quality of public transport in Indian cities is much worse than it is in other developed countries, but travellers in Indian cities are still better off than those who must rely on the public transport infrastructure in rural areas. The use of public buses has fallen over the past decade due to poor service standards and safety concerns. Consequently, there has been an increase in the use of private buses. Now, however, the government is taking steps to address the issues surrounding rural public bus systems. According to the Ministry of Roads, Transport and Highways, the Association of State Road Transport Undertakings (representing public bus systems) has proposed the purchase of 50,854 new buses during the upcoming 12th Five-Year Plan (2012 to 2017). The government also intends to replace about 35,000 older buses over this period. The government also plans to spend about Rs1,220 crore to establish new inspection centres and another Rs1,000 crore for new and improved driving training centres. It is hoped such developments will improve public transport conditions, making it safer and more comfortable for Indians to travel by bus in rural areas.
Air Travel
Consumers have a vast range of choices among full-service domestic airlines. Air India and Jet Airways are most popular, connecting more than 80 cities across India. But rising incomes and the desire for more comfortable travel and reduced travel times has combined with the wider availability of less-expensive air fares from low-cost carriers to fuel the growing consumer demand for air travel in recent years, not only demand for domestic travel but for international travel, as well. In fact over 73 million passengers travelled on scheduled airline services in 2011 compared to 40 million in 2006. Over a dozen low-cost airlines have served Indian travellers since 2004 and they have brought a revolution in cheap air travel. Leading carriers include Spice Jet, Go Air and Indigo Airlines. As a result of the recent liberalisation in aviation policies, domestic airlines and some low-cost carriers now also offer wide connectivity to nearby overseas locations. Their competitive air fares have made low-cost air carriers very attractive and in some cases they compete with rail services for share of domestic travel. India has a well-developed network of airports. In 2008, there were more than 335 civilian airports in India, 250 with paved runways and 96 with unpaved runways. As well, there were more than 20 international airports providing consumers with access to international destinations. The Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi and the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport are the two primary airports in India and collectively they handle almost one-half of the air traffic in south Asia. Indias international airports were recently modernised with new terminals built and some of the best retail and shopping environments in the country. Renovations have resulted in modern washrooms and facilities, posh greeting areas, bigger luggage reclaim areas, more immigration and emigration counters and new baggage belts, as
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well as more business lounges, eateries and duty-free shops. The new Terminal 3 in Delhi is a state-of-the-art facility that was completed in time to accommodate visitors to the 2010 Commonwealth Games held in that city. According to taxfreetravel.com, an online website which tracks duty-free shopping, among the interesting new concepts is the Uisge Beatha zone, an area highlighting duty-free malt whiskeys that is described as the ultimate malt experience zone. Delhi airport also offers a large space dedicated to perfumes and cosmetics as well as a walk-in humidor for Cuban cigars and cigars from Honduras and the Dominican Republic. The new terminal is also appealing due to its ethnic retail experience. Shops offer products such as tea, ayurvedic treatments and massage oils as well as a wide range of Indian crafts. Chart 27 Kilometres Travelled by Road, Rail and Air compared with Road Network, Consumer Expenditure on Transport Services and Number of Scheduled Airline Passengers Carried 2006-2011
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Until relatively recently, young Indians tended to take their holidays with their families. However, a growing number of young and single holidaymakers are now travelling alone or with a group of friends. Although still a niche trend, there has been an increase in the number of women only groups of friends taking vacations together. This is more common among young Indian urban women but the trend is catching up with older women in their forties and fifties, as well, with some taking reunion holidays with old friends. Rising safety standards for women travellers is encouraging more of them to visit both domestic and international holiday destinations. Thanks to their relatively high disposable incomes, many older Indians are taking advantage of their spare time and travelling. Until recently, this was considered by many as an unnecessary indulgence. In many cases, older Indian parents have one or more of their children who have immigrated overseas, usually to the US, UK, Europe or Australia. Hence, one of the common holidays for many older Indians is to travel overseas to visit their expat children. Older Indians also like to take group tours to affordable domestic destinations and overseas destinations. Among the most popular destinations (at least among those who can afford it) are Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. There is a preference for large organised group tours because these holiday packages are well-guided and well-planned and present fewer potential obstacles than travelling alone or in small groups.
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their means. However, in the slower economy banks saw a rising rate of credit delinquency and hence they shifted from promoting credit cards to promoting debit cards. However, despite the large number of debit cards in circulation in India, consumers still dont use their debit cards as often as they use their credit cards. As well, the average purchase transaction per debit card is much lower than that of credit cards. According to industry sources, over 50% of debit cards are not in regular use and consumers use them mainly to withdraw cash rather than as a means of payment. Indian consumers use cheques mainly to pay for large purchases or to make large payments. They do not use them often for small payments, such as purchases from neighbourhood stores, because most stores dont accept cheques. At the same time, there has been a growing trend, albeit not widespread, to make payments for utilities, school fees, interest payments and other monthly bills via electronic transfers. Most large service providers now provide well-designed sites and systems that make such payments convenient and secure.
Savings
The savings ratio (the percentage of disposable income saved) of Indian consumers has traditionally been high. These high rates stand out not only when compared to rates in developed countries but also when compared to other emerging economies. Culturally, Indians tend to place a huge emphasis on saving for a rainy day and this has resulted in the high savings ratios that continued through to 2011. Most Indians understand that since the majority of work in the informal sector does not translate into pension benefits and that less than 10% of formal sector employees are covered by pension schemes, it is vital to save. Moreover, consumers are aware that there is no social security or health insurance system or even subsidies to support education expenses or other big expenses. In short, to pay for these as well as unforeseen eventualities, Indians must rely on their savings. Despite the strong cultural pressure to save, the savings ratio fell to 27.9% in 2011, down from 29% in 2010. This decline was due mainly to soaring inflation which ate into consumers disposable incomes, resulting in less saving. Deepak Mohanty, Executive Director of the Reserve Bank of India, recently said that savings among individuals and small businesses has been adversely affected due to rising prices, forcing both to spend more on daily needs. As well, there are higher interest costs due to recent rises in interest rates, which in turn were implemented in a bid to contain inflation. But according to Madan Sabnavis, Chief Economist at Care Ratings, savings are likely to rebound to their higher levels in coming years as inflation steadies and as the economy improves. There is wide range of saving options for consumers and new schemes are emerging every year. Traditionally, Indians prefer to put about 50% of their savings in fixed deposits in banks. Currently, fixed deposit yields are around 9% for annual returns for non-senior citizens, depending on the term of deposit and other guidelines. This return makes these savings instruments very popular. Insurance policies are another popular investment alternative as they offer the opportunity to indemnify life, assets and money while also providing satisfactory and risk-free profits. Many consumers seek out savings options with tax benefits. For example, the National Saving Certificate (NSC) from the government of India is a secure investment with a lock in tenure of six years. NSCs also offer the benefit that, while interest accrued on the certificates every year is liable to income tax, it is deemed to have been reinvested. Public Provident Funds (PPF) are another popular savings scheme chosen by many consumers. PPFs offer yields of 8% with a lock in tenure of a maximum of 15 years. Many rural consumers save using postal deposits, Kisan Vikas Patras, which are saving instruments backed by the government of India that provides interest income similar to government bonds. These offer safe and high (currently 8%) yields and since banks and financial providers have designed them specifically for rural
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consumers, they are heavily promoted in rural areas. No income tax benefit is available under the Kisan Vikas Patra scheme and interest income is taxable. Investments in stocks have helped deepen and stabilise Indian stock markets and consumers, mainly younger consumers, continue to look at these investments as an attractive way to save. Large private-sector mutual funds such as the HDFC Mutual Fund and Kothari Pioneer Mutual Fund have shown a history of high returns over the past decade and they continue to be popular choices among consumers. In view of the fact that a significant portion of Indian household savings are in less-productive assets such as gold, India's government has looked for ways to encourage consumers to move their savings into newer options, such as the Gold Deposit Scheme. More financially savvy consumers have already deployed a part of their assets into these savings schemes and they have benefited from the fact that interest is exempt from capital gains tax and the wealth tariff. Such new savings options have helped consumers channel their household savings into investments in the country's debt, equity and infrastructure.
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