NIELSENIQ DATA

FMCG, auto companies break the jinx as rural growth rises above urban

Rural FMCG demand outpaced urban markets in Jan-Mar 2024. Car companies reported higher rural sales. NielsenIQ noted 7.6% rural growth. Factors include robust rabi crop and government measures. Maruti Suzuki saw record rural sales.

NIQ Launches Founders Pitch Slam for Emerging CPG Brands in India

FMCG sector: Rural demand growth for daily essentials outstrips urban sales

Rural markets grew 6.5% by volume in both December and January, and by 11.1% in February, according to executives citing NielsenIQ data. Urban markets, in comparison, grew 6.1% in December, 4.7% in January and 8.7% in February, data showed.

FSSAI tells ecommerce companies to stop using the term 'health drink or energy drink' for malt based drinks

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has instructed all e-commerce companies to refrain from labeling dairy-based, cereal-based, or malt-based beverages as 'health drinks' or 'energy drinks'. FSSAI emphasized that these terms lack definition under Indian food laws, with 'energy drinks' specifically referring to certain flavored water beverages.

Extended winter to dent Q4FY24 prospects for consumer pack; Nuvama suggests 6 stocks to buy

Nuvama forecasts a gradual recovery for consumer staples in FY2025, picking top stocks amidst comparisons with Nifty FMCG index. Q4FY24 may show muted growth, with price hikes and ad spends expected in FY2025.

Indian Premium League: Premiumisation picks up pace for large consumer goods companies

More than 70% of the new products launched by India's largest consumer goods maker Hindustan Unilever in last two years were in the premium segment. Around 65% of all new personal care product launches were in the premium segment for ITC Ltd, doubling the contribution of such products to the division's sales in the last four years to 38%. For the largest biscuit maker Parle Products, around 60-65% of new launches were in the premium segment as compared to 40% pre-Covid.

Orion India announces expansion of Korean snacks portfolio

Orion India, a subsidiary of South Korea’s Orion Holdings, is expanding its Indian snacks portfolio by introducing new products and increasing production capacity. The company has also enlisted Palak Tiwari to promote its Turtle Chips franchise in India.

No slowdown in web commerce, a product of Covid era, even after Covid is long gone

A whole array of products, from the humble cookie and other daily munchies to pocket-pinching discretionary items such as television sets and refrigerators, are selling on ecommerce sites with frequencies similar to or higher than those through the lockdown days, showed the latest data by market researchers NielsenIQ and GfK India.

India's economic growth expected to slip below 7% in Oct-Dec quarter

India's Q3 economic growth slipped below 7% due to weak manufacturing sector and mixed consumption growth. Despite slower growth, India is expected to be one of the fastest-growing economies with estimated growth of 7.3% in the current fiscal year.

Clear shift in skincare market as Gen Z moves away from fairness products

Fairness creams declined 3% in 2023, signaling a shift towards brightening, glow, radiance, and anti-dullness products. Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) renamed its fairness cream Glow & Lovely to distance from racial injustice protests. L'Oreal and Johnson & Johnson also dropped 'white' and 'fair' from their skincare range. The overall skincare industry in India grew 9.2% in 2023.

FMCG industry records 6.4 pc volume growth, rural & urban consumption gap narrows, says NielsenIQ

Indian FMCG industry's volume grew 6.4% YoY in Q4'23, with uptick in consumption in both urban and rural areas. Consumption gap between urban and rural markets narrowed for the first time in 2023. FMCG industry registered 6% growth in value terms, aided by higher volume and recovery in rural markets. In 2024, industry expected to grow between 4.5% and 6.5%. Sequentially, volume growth declined in Q4'23 due to moderation in FMCG consumption.

78% of respondents prefer streaming content on TV: Study

While mobile is the primary mode of streaming content due to the wide reach of smartphones and affordable data plans, the study states that this is beginning to change in big cities.

78% of respondents prefer streaming content on TV: study

About 78% streaming consumers prefer watching online content on their TV screens through streaming sticks, smart TVs, and set-top boxes, according to a NielsenIQ study commissioned by Amazon. While mobile is the primary mode of streaming content due to the wide reach of smartphones and affordable data plans, the study states that this is beginning to change in big cities.

When FMCG giants pushed on with a cartful of troubles

​​ Overall sales of apparel and electronic products have been languishing for over a year now, while those of mass-segment electronic products have been low since the pandemic outbreak. According to researcher GfK, there was a slight pick-up in mass segment during Diwali.

ITC beats Adani, Britannia & Parle to become largest FMCG co in food space

ITC clocked food FMCG sales of ₹17,100 crore in the period, while Britannia was at ₹16,700 crore, Adani Wilmar at ₹15,900 crore, Parle Products at ₹14,800 crore, Mondelez at ₹13,800 crore and Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) at ₹12,200 crore, NielsenIQ data showed.

FMCG sales climb as rural demand sees green shoots

This comes after four quarters of subdued growth in rural markets, which had declined 2-5% as consumers had been either downtrading (buying lower-priced products) or not purchasing as many goods, impacted by soaring food and fuel prices.

Top global companies tap neuroscience research to stay ahead

Neuro research uses technology that gauges consumer preferences by directly measuring responses from the brain through headsets, without filters, biases or hesitancy that respondents may exhibit in traditional forms of research. Consumer goods, financial services, ecommerce and alcobev companies in India and elsewhere are rapidly adopting this form of research, Melgarejo said. He declined to mention specific names, citing client confidentiality.

Data analytics firm Tredence picks up $175 million from Advent

Tredence had previously raised $30 million from private equity firm Chicago Pacific Partners, at a $100 million valuation

Inflation and rural stress hit Q2 FMCG growth: NielsenIQ

“Overall, this quarter shows cautious consumption, primarily due to apprehensions of slowdown and continued inflation,” Satish Pillai, managing director – India, NielsenIQ said. India’s villages, which contribute more than 35% to overall annual FMCG sales, are reeling under inflation-led price hikes and patchy monsoons.

FMCG sector saw consumption slowdown in urban markets; degrowth in rural areas: NielsenIQ

As a result of the price increases, small manufacturers (with turnover below Rs 100 crore ) dropped by 13%, owing to difficulties in continuing operations, while large and medium manufacturers stayed stable through the year.

FMCG companies keen to win back lost rural ground

Rural volume sales of FMCG declined 1.8% in the December quarter as per NielsenIQ data, industry executives said. Companies are relying on recent budget announcements such as direct transfer of ₹2.37 lakh-crore in minimum support payment (MSP) to wheat and paddy farmers, and bringing 150,000 post offices into the core banking system to widen its reach, in addition to a good harvest season, to reverse the rural slowdown in the upcoming fiscal, executives told ET.

52% students intending to study abroad prefer specialised courses over varsity reputation: Study

The study commissioned by Western Union, a global financial service to NielsenIQ, also found that around 64 per cent students opt to study in countries and universities that do not have entrance exams or mandatory English proficiency tests.

FMCG sales grow nearly 37% year-on-year in June quarter, but fall 2% sequentially: Nielsen

Traditional trade channels like grocery stores and chemists exhibited strong growth in the quarter and had a strong ally in ecommerce to sail through the troubled waters. Modern trade is still in the recovery phase compared to pre-Covid period, expecting faster recovery during the festive season, Nielsen said.