Indian Consumer Lifestyle
Indian consumer lifestyle
Indias population, of nearly 1.2 billion in 2009 is the second highest in the world and has grown at an absolute
rate of 6% between 2005 and 2009. In terms of growth rate, India was the 89th fastest-growing country among
124 countries in the world. The governments investment in family planning awareness and health services has
led to a decline in birth rates (21 births per 1,000 in 2009, 89th among 124 countries) and the fertility rate (2.7
children born per female, 81st among 124 countries).
An increasing literacy rate has also led to more people being aware of the benefits of smaller families. One of the key reasons in falling birth rates has been government efforts in increasing the adoption of condoms and oral contraceptives through the network of state health care facilities and creating a social marketing programme for promoting their usage.
Traditionally, in Indian culture children are referred to as precious gifts from God and, therefore, abortion is not
encouraged. However to curb the rate of population growth and to recognise a womans right to terminate an
unwanted pregnancy, abortion has become socially acceptable over the years. This increasing acceptance is
highlighted by the success of the emergency contraceptive pills in India in a relatively short period of time.
While a generation ago, living together before marriage was almost unheard of, lest be acceptable, there is now
an increasing number of couples who are opting for living together relationships, although this trend is
restricted to highly urbanised areas. Both social and legal acceptability of living together relationships has
increased. In 2010, the Supreme Court of India opined that a man and woman living together without marriage
cannot be construed as an offence. However, the court also ruled that a woman in this type of relationship is not
entitled to maintenance unless she meets certain criteria such as having verifiable evidence of the relationship,
being of legal age to marry, being qualified to enter into a legal marriage, and voluntarily cohabiting for a
significant period of time.
The proportion of couples without children has increased by nearly 18% (absolute) during the review period,
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