Nestlé India flags urban middle-class squeeze as real incomes trail inflation
Chairman Manish Tiwary says urban middle-class shoppers are deferring discretionary buys as wage growth lags 3.48% CPI and 8.3% WPI prints. Premium (30-40M consumers) and rural cohorts hold up. Q4FY26 net profit rose 26% YoY to ₹1,114 cr; HUL, Britannia, Dabur face similar cost-led price hikes.
Nestlé India chairman Manish Tiwary flagged weak urban middleclass demand as real income growth lags inflation, prompting deferred discretionary spend. Premium and rural segments remain resilient. FMCG peers hiking prices amid West Asia-driven cost pressures.