According to LocalCircles survey, 51% urban Indian households consume traditional Indian sweets three or more times a month
A total of 55% urban Indian household consumers surveyed are ready for sweets with 25-75% lower sugar content, a LocalCircles survey has found.
The survey received over 36,000 responses from household consumers located in 311 districts of India. A total of 61% respondents were men while 39% respondents were women. While 42% respondents were from tier 1, 29% from tier 2 and 29% respondents were from tier 3 & 4 districts.
The survey asked consumers, “Assuming you are consuming traditional Indian sweets or sweet bakery and packaged products or both regularly, what percentage of sugar can be cut from these products, and you would still continue to enjoy them?”
The question received 12,238 responses with 28% of respondents stating that they want “no or minimum change”. Of the rest, 36% of respondents stated that they would like “25-50%” less sugar utilized; 19% of respondents stated that they are fine with “50-75%” less sugar being used; 11% of respondents did not give a clear reply while 6% of those surveyed stated that the question is “not applicable” as they don’t consume traditional Indian sweets or bakery/ packaged sweets.
51% urban Indian households consume traditional Indian sweets three or more times a month
Having something sweet to eat after a meal is nothing unusual in most families unless health conditions don’t permit. The survey first asked consumers, “How many times each month generally do you/ members of your household consume traditional Indian sweets?” The question received 12,248 responses with only 10% indicating that they eat traditional Indian sweets “every day”; 6% of respondents indicated “15-30 times a month”; 8% of respondents indicated “8-15 times a month”; 27% of respondents indicated “3-7 times a month”; and 39% indicated “1-2 times a month”. Only 4% of respondents stated that the question is “not applicable” as they don’t consume traditional Indian sweets while 6% of the respondents did not give a clear reply.
To sum up, 51% urban Indian households consume traditional Indian sweets three or more times a month.
Percentage of urban Indian households that consume traditional sweets several times a month rises
Comparison with a survey done in 2023 shows that the percentage of urban Indian households that consume traditional sweets has risen from 41% in 2023 to 51% in 2024. There is a marginal increase in the percentage of households surveyed which consume traditional sweets every day from 8% in 2023 to 10% currently. There is a wider difference in the households surveyed which don’t consume traditional Indian sweets, dipping from 13% in 2023 to just 4% of respondents currently.
56% urban Indian households consume bakery and packaged products 3 or more times a month
The survey next asked consumers: “How many times each month do you/ members of your household consume sweet bakery and packaged products like cakes, biscuits, ice-creams, shakes, chocolates, candies, etc.?”
The question received 12,323 responses with 18% indicating “every day”; 4% of respondents stating “15-30 times a month”; 14% of respondents stating “8-15 times a month”; and 34% of respondents stating “1-2 times a month”. Of the remaining respondents, 6% stated that the question is “not applicable” to them as they don’t consume” such food products, while 4% of respondents did not give a clear reply.
In essence, 56% urban Indian households consume bakery and packaged products like cakes, biscuits, ice-creams, shakes, chocolates, candies, etc., 3 or more times a month; 18% consume them every day.
The survey was conducted via LocalCircles platform, and all participants were validated citizens who had to be registered with LocalCircles to participate in this survey. LocalCircles, a Community Social Media platform, enables citizens and small businesses to escalate issues for policy and enforcement interventions and enables the Government to make policies that are citizen and small business centric.
