![](\"https:\/\/im.rediff.com\/money\/2021\/apr\/14fmcg.jpg?w=670&h=900\")
<\/p>\nDemand for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) went up last month across India, as kirana stores stocked up their shelves in anticipation of a sizzling summer, according to data by retail intelligence firm Bizom.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
There was a spike in beverages sales across the country despite inflation inching up in February after moderating downward previously, Bizom noted.<\/p>\n
“The number of kiranas stocking FMCG products was at an eight-month high and stocking rose by over a fifth as they looked to capitalise on summer demand across product categories,” Akshay D’Souza, chief of growth and insight at Bizom, told Business Standard<\/em>.<\/p>\n “Out-of-home consumption has contributed significantly to boosting sales across categories.<\/p>\n “This has been a welcome change from the conservative purchases in the post-festival season period,” he added.<\/p>\n On a month-on-month (MoM) basis, beverages sales shot up 84.6 per cent in February and 4.3 per cent compared to last year.<\/p>\n Personal care products saw a growth of 40.6 per cent in February compared to January and 10.4 per cent compared to February 2022.<\/p>\n Packaged foods grew 27.7 per cent MoM, while it increased by 8.6 per cent YoY.<\/p>\n Rural sales also witnessed a strong pick-up of 12.4 per cent in February compared to last year, while urban sales grew 5.5 per cent last month.<\/p>\n “There is a resurgence in demand, especially in rural areas, as rabi harvesting has begun.<\/p>\n “The wheat crop is a bumper this year and prices are also higher due to which farmers are expecting a good price for their crop,” Mayank Shah, senior category head, Parle Products, recently told Business Standard<\/em>.<\/p>\n Shah added, “The sentiment has been positive since January and we have witnessed a sequential growth in demand.<\/p>\n “Post-Diwali, demand was impacted but that has now recovered.”<\/p>\n According to D’Souza, rural consumption showed genuine signs of improvement after August 2022, when consumers had overcome inflation fears to celebrate festivals.<\/p>\n “Central and eastern India have seen a spike in sales driven by an early onset of summer and a rise in stocking,” D’Souza added.<\/p>\n Central India saw 36.2 per cent YoY growth and the eastern region 21 per cent compared to February 2022.<\/p>\n Demand in South India, however, still remained slightly weak as summer stocks are yet to be replenished.<\/p>\n Tamil Nadu led the state chart with the highest growth of 23.3 per cent, while Uttar Pradesh recorded 14.5 per cent in February compared to last year.<\/p>\n D’Souza is counting on a significant rise in consumption of FMCG products as food inflation is expected to trend lower globally in 2023.<\/p>\n “As inflation remains in control and range-bound, and with hotter days ahead of us coupled with the upcoming IPL cricket season, we could see a turnaround in consumption for FMCG products, driven by rural,” he said.<\/p>\n