Consumer goods see mixed growth

CTVs post 2% growth for first 5 months in 2005, refrigerators fared the worst.

The sales of consumer durables for January-May this year have been a mixed bag with washing machines and air-conditioners showing rapid growth.

Colour television sales remained flat and refrigerator sales reported a sharp decline.

According to AC Nielsen figures, colour televisions recorded a growth of just 2 per cent in volume for the five months of the year against the same period last year.

In value terms, the category recorded a 3 per cent decline.

Washing machines sales were up 15 per cent this year, against the corresponding period last year.

In value terms, too the category reported a 22 per cent increase.

Rising mercury levels seem to have brought a smile on the face of air-conditioner manufacturers as the category made fast progress, reporting a 40 per cent growth in volume and 30 per cent increase in value terms.

But the sale of refrigerators, both in volume and value terms, fared the worst among the four categories, where it showed a 7 and 4 per cent decline, respectively.

"Even the much-hyped India-Pakistan cricket series earlier this year failed to lift the sales of colour television sets to market expectations," says an executive at one of the leading players of white goods.

According to National Council of Applied Economic Research, 212 households in 1,000 actually posses a regular-size colour television.

With just 160 and 105 households out of a 1,000 having refrigerators and washing machines respectively, the two categories have a long way to go before they actually start showing any signs of stagnation.

And only 15 in a 1,000 households actually have a air-conditioner installed in their houses.

Big Ticket Items

Colour televisions: recorded a growth of 2% in volume for the five months in 2005 against last year. There was a 3% decline in value terms

Washing machines: sales were up 15%, against last year. In value terms. There was 22% increase

Air-conditioners: recorded the fasted growth: 40% hike in volume and 30% increase in value terms

Refrigerators: fared the worst. While it showed a 7% decline in volume, in value terms the decline was 4%.