Battlingfor the middleground
Consumer choices in India are driven by three major trends, namely rapid urbanisation, sustainability (a growing awareness across the sub-continent) and, of course, a desire forwellbeing.The first ofthese iscreating some of the largest opportunities for the sector and also the biggestheadaches. Water consumption in India's major centres is at crisis point and the government,andincreasinglya more aware consumer base, is looking to reduce the consequence of their actions on the planet. For thehighlylucrative middle-class market in India (around 440m. people and rising}, 'green' credentials are key. A demand for products that enable both better lives (as most of the sales pitches will say ) and are kind to the environment are rising in popularity. It is here where the bigger brands have a huge head start, given that the public's perception of such companies has been shown to be more favourable.
According to LIXIL, sustainability has become hugely important amongst consumers, and 'they want to be associated with businesses that are sustainable and responsible towards its community and environment at large'.
"It's not merely about the products a company offers but is layered with how those products are curated, whether it positively impactscustomers and employees and most importantly, does it help the environment. Knowledge and awareness have improved around the various sustainable features of sanitaryware goods from lower water consumption to lower heat (energy) utilisation, use of recyclable materials, reducingplastics, 'Green' manufacturing, and so on," the company adds.
Likewise,asmentionedearlier,these are the manufacturers more likely to invest heavily in presentation and the Indian customer is one that very much likes to be 'sold to'. Showrooms in sanitarywarehave always given designers a relative free hand to display a 'lifestyle' and although their popularity and relative importance has subsided in European and North American markets, in India they are only just enteringtheir major growth phase. It is why the likes of Hindware, for example, have been so proactive in this regard.
Just recently, the companylaunched an 'experiential'store -Lacasa in Kerala, South India. Lacasa will serve architects, interior designers, business buyers as well as homeowners to get real time experience of the entire bathware, lounge and tiles product offerings from Hindware, Hindware Italian Collection, Queo and Hindware ItalianTiles.
Based in Kochi, this store is spread across 5,000 sq. ft. and is open on all seven days of the week. Currently, Hindware has 16 brand stores in Kerala and the company continues to focus on driving growth in the southern market with 13 other stores planned in the state for 2023.
those cempaRi the financial muscle to invest in bet technologies that are going to see the best fiscal return.
