91% Indian families spend on barbers and parlours
Subodh Varma
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Urban Folk Shell Out Most On Mobiles & Net
In a deep dive into the comp lex ways in which Indians live, a recent report reveals what proportion of families spend how much on such integral parts of life as maids and cooks, the press-walla, the plumber, the daily tea and snacks at office, newspapers and pets and even priests. Unsurprisingly , spending on mobile phones and the net, as well as on daily transport is the most universal and accounts for a large share of average household expenditure.But barbers and beauty parlors are equally used, while recreational services like cinemas, pets and newspapers too are fairly popular.These insights emerge from a first ever focused stu dy on family spend on several key consumer services carried out by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO). Earlier surveys of NSSO too had these items but they were buried somewhere in the 350-item list. It was felt that fatigue in filling up the massive survey ques tionnaires was leading to under-reporting of these minor items that make up the nuts and bolts of everyday life.Hence this focused survey of over 83,000 households was conducted from June 2014 to July 2015. About 15% of city dwellers but just 1% of rural folk employ domestic service providers like maids, cooks, gardeners, watchmen etc. Laundry and dry cleaning services are much more prevalent with 29% of urban and 11% of rural families using them. This may seem surprisingly high but the prevalence is driven by ironing of clothes, an almost universal habit among middle class Indians.
The high share of households using haircutting and beauty treatment services is mainly on account of the universal need for haircuts by male family members although in recent ears women members have taken to beauty parlors.
Communication services, which includes mobile phones and internet services mainly , were being used by about 84% households in both rural and urban areas with city dwelling families spending nearly Rs 500 per month on them, more than double of rural families.
Outside food, ranging from full meals to tea and coffee, juices, even bhelpuri and pakoras, emerges as one of the major spending heads with an urban family spending Rs 854 every month while a rural family spent Rs 329.
The NSSO report has omitted the proportion of households spending on outside food. In the 2011-12 consumer spending survey , such spending was reported by over 80% households.
An intriguing aspect is that expenses on priests and religious donations etc were reported by just over a third of the households, although by all accounts the devout make up a much larger share of the population. This may indicate that piety is more of a private affair.
The survey report does not give any estimate for the total monthly spending of a family .So, it is impossible to say what share of total expenses these consumer services make up.
The high share of households using haircutting and beauty treatment services is mainly on account of the universal need for haircuts by male family members although in recent ears women members have taken to beauty parlors.
Communication services, which includes mobile phones and internet services mainly , were being used by about 84% households in both rural and urban areas with city dwelling families spending nearly Rs 500 per month on them, more than double of rural families.
Outside food, ranging from full meals to tea and coffee, juices, even bhelpuri and pakoras, emerges as one of the major spending heads with an urban family spending Rs 854 every month while a rural family spent Rs 329.
The NSSO report has omitted the proportion of households spending on outside food. In the 2011-12 consumer spending survey , such spending was reported by over 80% households.
An intriguing aspect is that expenses on priests and religious donations etc were reported by just over a third of the households, although by all accounts the devout make up a much larger share of the population. This may indicate that piety is more of a private affair.
The survey report does not give any estimate for the total monthly spending of a family .So, it is impossible to say what share of total expenses these consumer services make up.
Source: Times of India, 25-07-2016
