Particle.news
Download on the App Store

India’s Household Spending Shifts to Durables as Food Share Falls Below 50%

An EAC-PM review of 2011-12 and 2023-24 surveys points to broad gains in durable ownership, signaling new demands on transport and infrastructure.

Overview

  • Monthly per‑capita spending on durables surged in absolute terms, rising from ₹170 to ₹540 in rural areas and from ₹315 to ₹877 in urban areas.
  • Rural households in several states now devote a higher share to durables than urban households, reflecting deeper market reach and credit access beyond cities.
  • Motor vehicles are the fastest-growing asset, with ownership jumping to roughly six in ten rural households and more than two-thirds of urban households, with sharp gains among the bottom 40%.
  • Mobile phones have reached near‑universal ownership and are replacing televisions as the primary screen, as urban TV ownership edged down even as rural TV access rose.
  • Ownership gaps are narrowing across income groups, refrigerator adoption has tripled, and households with no durable asset category now account for 5% or less across geographies.