Daily News & Analysis (DNA) Mumbai, 23 August 2010 Shailaja Sharma Back then, the sales were a much-awaited annual affair. Today, discount sales run all year round. Modern retail appears to be learning its lesson on right-pricing the hard way - the Indian consumer will go where the value is. In other words, those who decide against taking a direct correction by bringing down prices to realistic levels, have to take an indirect cut through frequent discount sales. "Retailers whose prices did not match with the requirements of consumers have experienced that their highly-priced products may not sell too much,"…
Most of the people reading this would be familiar with fast food, and think of it as a cheap, tasteless, "throw-away" excuse for food. You may think of it as a deeply penetrated product category, close to being ubiquitous. Here's a picture that tells the other story. For these kids, who are clearly not able to afford the products, the fries, burgers etc. are aspirational and exciting. For them, McDonald's is clearly not open early enough (in their lives). It's a different perspective when you look through the other side of the glass, I guess.
Retailwire hosted an interesting discussion on ethical consumerism, based on Andrew Benett's description of the decline of hyper-consumerism, and the emergence of a more conscious, frugal consumer in his new book, "Consumed: Rethinking Business in an Era of Mindful Spending". In a recent article Benett identified 10 public figures who also act as beacons for mindful consumption. The list includes people as diverse as US first lady Michelle Obama, talk show host & actress Ellen Degeneres, investor Warren Buffet, PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi and rapper Ludacris. Of course, Ellen, Ludacris or Oprah have a communication reach that most marketers would kill for.…
India’s traditional skills in textiles, intricate craftsmanship, and creativity in producing a range of design-intensive products have enticed buyers from all over the world. India retains a strong and sustainable position among the top five exporters of textiles and clothing in the world. India’s textile exports are currently weighted in favour of raw materials and intermediate products leading to ‘value-leakage’, which is a major concern from the long-term competitiveness perspective. Within India, Delhi holds a position of prominence and can play a significant role in capturing additional value within the country. As a sourcing destination and as a gateway to…
Speciality Restaurants expanding into high-margin QSR and cloud kitchen spaces - @devangshu shared his perspective on the opportunities and realities of managing a diverse "house of brands" in the food service sector #India #strategy #diversification
Geopolitical friction has again sparked renewed concerns over inflation and rising input costs for FMCG companies as @itmeansjustice @whysnavi write. @devangshu commented.
