Covid-19 crisis: Consumer firms fear sales hit as virus reaches hinterland

Rural India was largely unaffected by first wave of Covid-19

A year ago, when the first wave of Covid-19 upended lives in India’s metros and smaller cities, rural India, which was relatively insulated from the impact of the pandemic, came to the rescue of consumer-facing firms. But the second wave, which is a lot fiercer and secular in nature, has everyone worried.   

As the pandemic reaches the rural hinterland, sentiments are turning negative. Consumers are tightening their purse strings and saving for health emergencies. Amid localised lockdowns and a persistent increase in Covid cases, sales of tractors, two-wheelers, and consumer appliances have started feeling the heat. Top consumer goods companies