Increased Focus on Health, Wellness, and Immunity-boosting Products

SALES OF PACKAGED FOODS HAVE SURGED SINCE THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC, AS HOME-BOUND CONSUMERS STOCKPILE FAMILIAR PRODUCTS THAT WON’T GO STALE QUICKLY. BREAKFAST CEREALS, INSTANT NOODLES, RICE AND COOKING FATS ARE AMONG THE PRODUCTS THAT HAVE SEEN THE STRONGEST GROWTH IN RECENT MONTHS.

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With health care on everyone’s minds these days, consumer demand has been steadily rising for good-for-you products in many CPG categories, primarily consumables where low-fat/no-fat, low-cal/no-cal, low-carb, all-natural, and organic products have steadily gained favour.

One primary driver for this shift in consumer behaviour can be traced back to months of recurrent lockdowns, which have altered the habits of Indian consumers. Their spending patterns reveal just how deeply concerned they are with protecting their health and fortifying their store-cupboards, warding off boredom and keeping their homes (and themselves) neat and tidy. And where new routines look likely to stick, some companies stand to gain a lot.

In fact, the longer people stay close to home, the more CPG manufacturers continue to benefit. Surging rates of new coronavirus cases, coupled with some states either pausing or reversing their reopening efforts, suggest this trend will last for the foreseeable future.

Categories such as staples, salted snacks, frozen products, breakfast cereals have witnessed an uptrend in sales in recent months. Sales of packaged foods have surged since the onset of the pandemic, as home-bound consumers stockpile familiar products that won’t go stale quickly.