From middle-class to middle-income India

For marketers chasing volumes, the 166 million households of middle-income India is the new focus

After a disastrous serving of the “Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola” Rs 5, 200 ml bottle strategy a decade ago, Coca-Cola India is backing small serves again — 180 ml cans and 300 ml PET bottles. Arch-rival Pepsi too has introduced 150 ml cans to create new consumption opportunities for consumers on the go. From chocolate-maker Mondelez to French cosmetics giant L’Oréal, small is back again with a bang. And not just as a stepping stone to bigger packs, which many a marketer thought the consumer will ultimately upgrade to given rising incomes and a culture of consumption taking root. Here is