Rising cost of goods, services affecting purchasing decisions in India: EY report

A majority of the Indian consumers are bullish about their financial situation in the next one year, but have raised concerns over rising cost of goods and services, which is affecting their purchasing decisions, according to an EY report.

Moreover, uncertainty around managing rising living costs is driving over 80% in India to save more money, said the findings of the ninth edition of the EY Future Consumer Index for India.

The Index for India reaffirms the "positive outlook" of the Indian consumers as 77% expect positive changes in the financial situation, in the next one year. This is better than their global counterparts which stand at 48%, the report said.

However, the survey which was conducted among more than 1,000 Indian consumers in February, "raises concerns over the rising cost of goods and services that is impacting their ability to purchase goods and is affecting their purchasing decisions," it said.

"Emerging markets are feeling the pinch strongly, with 62% citing 'affordability' affecting their choices (South Africa 77%, India 64%, Brazil 63%, China 42%), compared with 45% of respondents from developed markets (the U.S. 50%, Canada 52% the UK 42%, France 40%)," said EY in a statement on the findings of the report.

In India, this impacts lower-income earners the most (72%), followed by the high-income group at 60%, and the middle-income group at 58%, it said.

"Uncertainty around managing rising living costs is driving over 80% in India to save more money than in the past, with 50% of all respondents have made it a goal already to save rather than spend," it said.

Moreover, health and wellness continue to be the focal point and Indian consumers are willing to pay a premium for high quality and organic food, even amidst inflationary pressure.

"More than half (54%) of the respondents in India have made physical health and wellness a goal for the next 2-3 years. 80% of the Indian respondents shall be more cautious about physical health in the long-term, followed by mental health at 78%," EY said in the report.

EY India Partner & National Leader – Consumer Product and Retail sector Angshuman Bhattacharya said experience-seeking consumers are less loyal, and with increasing price sensitivity and an inflationary environment, companies would need to toil harder to retain them.

"This calls for FMCG companies to look at their revenue and margin waterfalls and squeeze outspends across the value chain to drive profitability,” it said.

The consumer priorities have shifted to better self and better environment, post-pandemic, he said.

"This behavioural change will drive the buying decision in the long-term. Customers are getting increasingly environmentally conscious and are asking the brands that sell to them, to demonstrate the values that align with their own.” The EY Future Consumer Index tracks changing consumer sentiment and behaviours across time horizons and global markets, identifying the new consumer segments that are emerging.

The ninth edition of the EY Future Consumer Index surveyed 18,000 consumers across the U.S., Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, India, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Indonesia, Italy, Spain, Mexico, South Africa, Chile (new), Argentina (new) and Thailand (new) between January 28 and February 15.