<p class="title">Amid concerns of depressed consumer demand taking a toll on the Indian economy, a study by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) has found the demand for consumer durables rising in major cities in the past year.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The survey sample of a thousand rural and urban poor across the cities showed that the highest number of respondents (72%) who had bought consumer durables in the last year were from Bengaluru followed by Kolkata at 62% and Delhi at 52%. Bhopal reported the lowest, with just about one-third (38%) having made any such purchase.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Even in a tepid automobile sale market, two- and three-wheeler purchases were highest in Bengaluru at 23%, followed by Delhi at 17%.</p>.<p class="bodytext">City-wise analysis of items bought suggested that mobile phone purchases were the highest in Mumbai (78%) followed by Bhopal (68%). But kitchen and home appliances purchases were second highest in Bengaluru at 48%, only next to Kolkata at 58%.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Consumer spending surveys produce a most accurate result when conducted among middle and low-income group as these are the most price-sensitive consumers.</p>.<p class="bodytext">On credit availability for such purchases, 67% of middle income group and 44% of low income group consumers were aware of and availed personal loans to purchase durables. Again, Bengaluru had the highest number of 74% respondents, who were aware of loans by banks and NBFCs (non-banking financial companies) while only 31% of respondents in Bhopal were aware of the existence of loans through NBFCs.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Bengaluru also had the highest proportion of respondents who had taken loans; 70% (belonging to different income slabs) said they had availed themselves of such loans in different slabs. The quantum of consumer loans taken by the respondents showed that in Mumbai, 95% of respondents had not taken any such loans in the last year.</p>
<p class="title">Amid concerns of depressed consumer demand taking a toll on the Indian economy, a study by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) has found the demand for consumer durables rising in major cities in the past year.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The survey sample of a thousand rural and urban poor across the cities showed that the highest number of respondents (72%) who had bought consumer durables in the last year were from Bengaluru followed by Kolkata at 62% and Delhi at 52%. Bhopal reported the lowest, with just about one-third (38%) having made any such purchase.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Even in a tepid automobile sale market, two- and three-wheeler purchases were highest in Bengaluru at 23%, followed by Delhi at 17%.</p>.<p class="bodytext">City-wise analysis of items bought suggested that mobile phone purchases were the highest in Mumbai (78%) followed by Bhopal (68%). But kitchen and home appliances purchases were second highest in Bengaluru at 48%, only next to Kolkata at 58%.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Consumer spending surveys produce a most accurate result when conducted among middle and low-income group as these are the most price-sensitive consumers.</p>.<p class="bodytext">On credit availability for such purchases, 67% of middle income group and 44% of low income group consumers were aware of and availed personal loans to purchase durables. Again, Bengaluru had the highest number of 74% respondents, who were aware of loans by banks and NBFCs (non-banking financial companies) while only 31% of respondents in Bhopal were aware of the existence of loans through NBFCs.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Bengaluru also had the highest proportion of respondents who had taken loans; 70% (belonging to different income slabs) said they had availed themselves of such loans in different slabs. The quantum of consumer loans taken by the respondents showed that in Mumbai, 95% of respondents had not taken any such loans in the last year.</p>