Will rural consumers roar?

There are many changes happening that should help big FMCG brands reach rural consumers

“Rural FMCG growth overtakes urban after 5 quarters,” read the headline (Business Standard, May 8, 2024). It is well-known that branded FMCG products’ per capita consumption is significantly higher in urban India as compared to rural. 

Logically, rural demand should grow at a higher pace than urban, unless there is wholesale rural distress. There is a cap on how much a consuming household can consume; you cannot possibly have three baths a day or brush your teeth five times a day (Colgate’s latest campaign is still telling us to brush our teeth twice a day, something they used