India

In 2021, wipes saw double-digit current value growth, which was higher than that seen in 2020, but comparatively lower than the pre-COVID-19 rates of increase. Despite a second wave of infection in 2021, companies were better-prepared to manage…

Sanitary protection saw a fairly steady performances during the pandemic. In 2021, the second year of the pandemic, growth in the category was similar to that seen in 2019, after seeing slightly slower growth in 2020. This was due to factors such as…

Fresh vegetables recorded strong growth through retail in 2020, as consumption occasions shifted toward the home. Many Indians felt uncomfortable dining out, and started to prepare most or all of their meals at home. As restaurants reopened and…

Fresh fruits experienced sustained total volume growth in 2021, as many consumers searched for produce as a source of immune support and health. In 2020, the pandemic encouraged many consumers to reassess their health and lifestyles, as poor diets…

The first half of 2021 saw India grappling with a devasting wave of infections with high hospital admissions. Due to this, intermittent lockdowns and restaurant closures remained prominent following upheaval in 2020. Most private offices and…

In tier II and III cities there has been increasing demand for children’s apparel from well-known fashion retailers. This consumer base would previously shop in local fashion retailers. However, with the economic growth of these cities and the…

Homeshopping is one of the smallest retail channels in India. Given the low promotional activities of companies in the channel, its popularity is limited amongst consumers. At a time when consumers are increasingly spending time on social media and…

Convenience stores, which are predominantly located in tier 1 and tier 2 cities in India, witnessed lower footfall than pre-pandemic in 2021, as consumers preferred to order groceries from home through e-commerce channels, or visit bigger…

Sales of RTD coffee remained negligible in India in 2021. The growing popularity of cold coffee in restaurants and cafés is, however, encouraging companies to introduce RTD coffee products. Increasing consumer demand and the expansion of the product…

Air care was negatively impacted in 2020 due to economic uncertainty and the prioritisation of hygiene as a result of the pandemic. Due to the discretionary nature of the category, overall demand for air care remained lower than pre-pandemic levels…

The pandemic forced people to stay isolated at home, resulting in many people working and studying from home, as well as shopping from home. This means that the home is now playing a far more important role than just being a place to sleep. It is…

During the pandemic, when people were spending more time at home, direct selling emerged as a flexible source of income for sellers, which empowered individuals with the capability to sell products within their communities from the comfort of their…

As in 2020, the pandemic continued to hamper the marketing and consumption of energy drinks across the off-trade in 2021, with only negligible volume growth seen, after a slight decline in 2020. The second wave of COVID-19 in 2021 again coincided…

The primary reasons for growth in bottled water in India have been the lack of clean drinking water and health concerns. According to UNICEF, less than 50% of the population has access to clean drinking water. In addition, chemical contamination…

Soup in India saw healthy retail volume and current value growth in 2021, riding on the back of increasing demand for convenience foods, and also because it is perceived as a comfort food. Another reason why soup registered strong sales is that…

Although total volume sales of starchy roots witnessed an increase in 2020, this dynamic was mostly due to the interrupted activities of foodservice and out-of-home consumption as a result of the pandemic. Foodservice outlets represent a relevant…

As local consumers continued to spend longer periods of time outside of the home compared to 2020, meat sales through the foodservice and institutional channels improved in 2021, with both recording double-digit volume growth following the impact of…

The Indian economy was recovering well following the impact of 2020’s lockdown. However, it faced a roadblock once again in the first half of 2021 due to a second wave of COVID-19 infections. Although this was devastating and caused intermittent…

The pandemic continued to have an impact on fresh food in 2021. As an increasing proportion of the local population was vaccinated, consumers felt more comfortable leaving their homes. As a result, foodservice witnessed strong growth as eating…

The second wave of COVID-19 led to nationwide lockdowns, social distancing norms, travel restrictions and shutdowns, which hampered consumer confidence and reduced discretionary spending. The recovery of hypermarkets was slow, since consumers were…