FMCG have a short shelf life, either as a result of high consumer demand or because the product deteriorates rapidly. Some FMCGs – such as meat, fruits and vegetables, dairy products and baked goods – are highly perishable. Other goods such as alcohol, toiletries, pre-packaged foods, soft drinks and cleaning products have high turnover rates. An excellent example is a newspaper- every day 's newspaper carries different content, making one useless just one day later, necessitating a new purchase every day.
The following are the main characteristics of FMCGs:[1]
• From the consumers ' perspective:
• Frequent purchase
• Low involvement (little or no effort to choose the item – products with strong Brand loyalty are exceptions to this rule)
• Low price
• From the marketers ' angle:
• High volumes
• Low contribution margins
• Extensive distribution networks
• High stock turnover Examples include non-durable goods such as soft drinks, toilees, and grocery items.[1][2] Though the absolute profit made on FMCG products is relatively small, they generally sell in large quantities, so the cumulative profit on such products can be substantial.
Fast-moving consumer electronics are a type of FMCG and are typically low priced generic or easily substitutable consumer electronics, including lower end mobile phones, MP3 players, game players, and digital cameras, which have a short usage life, typically a year or less, and as such are disposable.
FMCG sector in India
The fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector in India is the fourth largest