Tata Consumer Prod.

Adds graphic, bullets

By Praveen Paramasivam

July 28 (Reuters) - Hindustan Unilever HLL.NS on Tuesday signalled more selective price hikes to offset persistent commodity inflation, joining other consumer goods peers as the Middle East conflict keeps input costs elevated.

Shares fell as much as around 7% after the domestic unit of Britain's Unilever ULVR.L, home to brands including Dove and Surf Excel, said its profit fell 4% to 26.31 billion rupees ($274.92 million) in the first quarter ended June 30.

The U.S.-Israel war on Iran has saddled corporations worldwide with higher energy, freight and commodity costs, squeezing margins and prompting price increases for everything from packaged foods to tyres.

On Friday, Tata Consumer TACN.NS, home to brands such as Tetley and Organic India, warned of more price hikes.

Hindustan Unilever, too, said inflationary pressures will continue in the short-term as commodity volatility persists.

"We have only passed half of the inflation in pricing in the June quarter ... we will continue to take some calibrated measured steps on pricing," CFO Niranjan Gupta said on a media call.

Hindustan Unilever raised prices by 5% in the June quarter, while underlying volumes also climbed 5%, helping the Pears soapmaker post a 10% rise in sales from continuing operations to 165.14 billion rupees.

"This growth has come at the cost of stressed margins ... which has led to markets reacting negatively," Akshay D'Souza, an independent consumer goods consultant, said, adding elevated palm oil prices keep margins under pressure.

The Pepsodent toothpaste maker's standalone core earnings margin contracted 40 basis points to 22.8%, although it maintained its medium-term forecast for consolidated core earnings margin of 22.5% to 23.5%.

The stock, the biggest loser on the benchmark Nifty 50 index .NSEI, was last down 6.7% at 2,028.20 rupees.

Even as margins are under stress, CEO Priya Nair said Hindustan Unilever would focus on volume-led growth.

"If it comes to choices, our choices are clear," Nair said.

($1 = 95.7000 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Praveen Paramasivam in Chennai; Editing by Sonia Cheema)

(([email protected]; +91 867-525-3569;))

July 27 (Reuters) - Tata Consumer Products TACN.NS shares rose 2.2% on Monday after the company signalled the possibility of further price hikes to offset rising raw material costs, while robust growth in newer businesses boosted investor confidence in the outlook.

(Reporting by Saikeerthi in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonia Cheema)

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Adds analyst comment in paragraph 5-7

May 11 (Reuters) - India's Tata Consumer Products TACN.NS stock jumped as much as 6.6% to its highest level in over two years on Monday, with analysts backing the Tetley tea maker's double-digit revenue expansion view in fiscal year 2027.

Shares of the Tata Group firm were up 3.9% at 1,221.9 rupees, as of 11:00 a.m. IST, making it the top percentage gainer on the Nifty FMCG .NIFTYFMCG index, which was down 0.1%.

Tata Consumer was among 10 stocks trading in the green on the benchmark Nifty 50 .NSEI index, which was down 1.2% after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Indians to conserve fuel, curb gold purchases and limit overseas travel amid a spike in energy prices linked to the Iran conflict.

The stock was rated "buy" on average by 26 analysts with a median price target of 1,315 rupees, according to data compiled by LSEG.

On Friday, the Tata Salt maker beat quarterly profit estimates for the quarter ended March 31.

CLSA expects the growth trajectory to persist, supported by a stronger go‑to‑market strategy, faster growth in emerging channels such as e‑commerce and quick commerce, which now account for 34% of India revenue, and continued product innovation.

Analysts at BoB Capital said they remain constructive on Tata Consumer's medium-term outlook, expecting the company to deliver sales, EBITDA and earnings compound growth of about 10%, 14% and 18%, respectively, over fiscal 2026–29.

Tata Consumer delivered a broad-based beat, with strong volume-led growth across India beverages and foods, while management guided for further margin expansion, helped by easing tea costs and improving portfolio mix, analysts at Systematix said.

($1 = 95.1600 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Mridula Kumar and Chandini Monappa in Bengaluru; Editing by Harikrishnan Nair)

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Rewrites throughout with comments from post-earnings call

May 8 - India's Tata Consumer Products TACN.NS forecast double-digit revenue growth in fiscal 2027 on Friday, after beating quarterly earnings estimates, as steady demand for staples such as tea and salt offset cost pressures from the Middle East conflict.

Tea prices were largely benign and coffee prices are starting to ease, which should aid margins, the Tata group company said in an earnings call, while any broad-based fuel inflation would likely be passed on through pricing.

The 'Tata Salt' maker expects earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) margin to grow by 50-70 basis points for the current fiscal year, a slower pace than fiscal 2026, which saw an expansion of 100 basis points.

After a prolonged urban-led slowdown, demand has started recovering in India, aided by tax cuts introduced last year aimed at boosting spending. But margins are being impacted for Indian consumer goods makers.

The Middle East conflict disrupted shipping in March, hurting some international and export-led businesses, the Tetley tea maker said.

However, it added that supply chains have normalised since April and risks were contained through alternative sourcing and pricing power.

Its growth portfolio, which includes premium health-focused brands such as Organic India and Tata Sampann, posted 33% revenue growth from a year ago.

The company expects it to expand at about 30% in the near term as it diversifies to reduce exposure to volatile commodity prices.

Peers Dabur DABU.NS and Britannia Industries BRIT.NS have turned to price hikes to combat rising commodity prices linked to the Iran war. Higher raw material prices, fuelled by surging crude, are pressuring corporate margins across sectors.

Tata Consumer, which operates a joint venture with Starbucks SBUX.O in India, said fourth-quarter profit grew 21% to 4.19 billion rupees, while revenue climbed 18%, both beating estimates. Quarterly expenses rose about 16%.

(Reporting by Urvi Dugar in Bengaluru; Editing by Shreya Biswas)

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March 24 (Reuters) - Tata Consumer Products Ltd TACN.NS:

• TAX DEMAND OF 2.69 BILLION RUPEES HAS BEEN DELETED

Source text: ID:nBSE5qjJG0

Further company coverage: TACN.NS

(([email protected];;))

March 12 (Reuters) - Tata Consumer Products Ltd TACN.NS:

• TATA CONSUMER - OFFICIAL X ACCOUNT FULLY RECOVERED

Source text: ID:nBSE7gvTth

Further company coverage: TACN.NS

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March 4 (Reuters) - Tata Consumer Products Ltd TACN.NS:

• TATA CONSUMER - ACCOUNT OF COMPANY HAS BEEN COMPROMISED AND IS CURRENTLY POSTING UNAUTHORIZED CONTENT

• TATA CONSUMER - OFFICIAL X (FORMERLY TWITTER) ACCOUNT OF COMPANY HAS BEEN COMPROMISED

• TATA CONSUMER - ACTIVELY ENGAGING WITH PLATFORM TO REGAIN CONTROL OF ACCOUNT

• TATA CONSUMER- NO SENSITIVE INFORMATION HAS BEEN ACCESSED

• TATA CONSUMER - NO SENSITIVE INFORMATION HAS BEEN ACCESSED

Source text: ID:nBSE88ff89

Further company coverage: TACN.NS

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Repeats Jan 31 story with no changes in content

By Aditya Kalra and Rishika Sadam

NEW DELHI, India, Jan 31 (Reuters) - At an Indian gourmet food store, Avanti Mehta is organising a blind tasting of drinks sourced from France, Italy and India. No, this isn't wine, it's water.

Participants use tiny shot glasses to check the minerality, carbonation and salinity in samples of Evian from the French Alps, Perrier from southern France, San Pellegrino from Italy and India's Aava from the foothills of the Aravalli mountains.

"They will all taste different ... you should be choosing a water that can give you some sort of nutritional value," said Mehta, who is 32 and calls herself India's youngest water sommelier, a term usually associated with premium wine. Her family owns the Aava mineral water brand.

Premium water is a $400 million business in the world's most populous nation and is growing bigger as its wealthy see it as a new status symbol that fits in with a spreading wellness craze.

Premium Indian mineral water costs around $1 for a one-litre bottle, while imported brands are upwards of $3, or 15 times the price of the country's lowest-priced basic bottled water.

Clean water is a privilege in the country of 1.4 billion people where researchers say 70% of the groundwater is contaminated. Tap water remains unfit to drink, and 16 people died in Indore city after consuming contaminated tap water in December.

Many in India see bottled water as a necessity and standard 20 U.S.-cent bottles are available widely at convenience stores, restaurants and hotels. The market is worth nearly $5 billion annually and is set to grow 24% a year - among the fastest in the world.

Bottled water demand in United States or China is driven by convenience, making it a $30 billion-plus market in each country which will grow just 4-5% each year, Euromonitor says.

In India, the premium water segment is leading the surge in demand, accounting for 8% of the bottled water market last year compared to just 1% in 2021, Euromonitor said.

"Distrust of municipal water in some areas has escalated the demand for bottled water. Now, people understand how mineral water has more health benefits. It's expensive, but the category will boom," said Amulya Pandit, a senior consultant at Euromonitor specializing in the drinks market.

Among its consumers are New Delhi-based real estate developer B.S. Batra, who says his family uses only premium water at home to get more minerals and safeguard health.

"You feel different, more energetic during the day," said Batra, 49, an avid badminton player.

"I consume mineral water even with whisky at home, and kids use it for their smoothies."

WATER LURES BOLLYWOOD STAR, WEALTHY

The popular 20-cent plastic bottled water is mainly made by Pepsi PEP.O, Coca-Cola KO.N and Indian market leader Bisleri. In addition, Indians who can afford it, install purifiers in their homes which clean the water but also remove most minerals.

Imported and local premium waters are luring wealthy consumers and businesses alike.

Bollywood star Bhumi Pednekar and her sister have launched Backbay - selling 750 ml cartons of mineral water for $2.2; Indian conglomerate Tata is expanding its premium water portfolio, and retailers and businesses are reporting higher sales.

Tata Consumer Products TACN.NS, also Starbucks' SBUX.O partner in India, sells 20-cent bottled water, but premium water is its priority as it sees affluent, health-focused consumers willing to spend on the drink without worrying about the price, CEO Sunil D'Souza said in an interview.

"I don't have to push water uphill...I see a long, long, long runway for the business," he said.

Tata's premium "Himalayan" mineral water factory - which a Reuters photographer visited - is located in the foothills of the Himalayan range in Himachal Pradesh state. Workers there largely keep a hands-free watch on machines filling plastic and glass bottles with water sourced from a natural underground aquifer.

LOOKING FOR SPRINGS

Most Indians prefer still water, and the sparkling variant remains niche. Tata said it plans to launch a sparkling Himalayan water, and is also scouting for natural springs for expanding its other offerings.

At three Foodstories Indian gourmet stores, sales of premium waters tripled in 2025. Customer demand prompted the chain to import "light and creamy" Saratoga Spring Water from New York, which costs 799 rupees ($9) for a 355-millilitre (12-fluid-ounce) bottle, and stocks sold out within days, said co-founder Avni Biyani.

Indian mineral water brand Aava's sales touched a record 805 million rupees ($9 million) last year, growing 40% a year since 2021. Tata said its basic and premium water portfolio will grow 30% a year, after growing tenfold to $65 million in six years.

Imported waters, which attract an over 30% tax, are pricier than Indian brands. Nestle's NESN.S Perrier and San Pellegrino, and Danone's DANO.PA Evian retail for over 300 rupees, or $3.20, for a 750 ml bottle.

Nestle declined to comment, while Danone said the Indian bottled water market was growing at a "robust" pace but imported waters "tend to be niche and boutique."

"When you open your tap, you're not getting an Aava, Evian ... And that is what you're essentially paying for," said water sommelier Mehta.

At the water tasting session, some participants said they enjoyed the experience but many found the price hard to swallow.

"To be honest, it is kind of expensive," said executive Hoshini Vallabhaneni, one of 14 people at the event. "For everyday use - it will burn a hole in the pocket."

(Reporting by Aditya Kalra in New Delhi and Rishika Sadam in Hyderabad; Additional reporting by Alexander Marrow in London and Anushree Fadnavis in Himachal Pradesh; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

((Email: [email protected]; X: @adityakalra;))

Corrects bottle size, conversion in paragraph 21

By Aditya Kalra and Rishika Sadam

NEW DELHI, India, Jan 31 (Reuters) - At an Indian gourmet food store, Avanti Mehta is organising a blind tasting of drinks sourced from France, Italy and India. No, this isn't wine, it's water.

Participants use tiny shot glasses to check the minerality, carbonation and salinity in samples of Evian from the French Alps, Perrier from southern France, San Pellegrino from Italy and India's Aava from the foothills of the Aravalli mountains.

"They will all taste different ... you should be choosing a water that can give you some sort of nutritional value," said Mehta, who is 32 and calls herself India's youngest water sommelier, a term usually associated with premium wine. Her family owns the Aava mineral water brand.

Premium water is a $400 million business in the world's most populous nation and is growing bigger as its wealthy see it as a new status symbol that fits in with a spreading wellness craze.

Premium Indian mineral water costs around $1 for a one-litre bottle, while imported brands are upwards of $3, or 15 times the price of the country's lowest-priced basic bottled water.

Clean water is a privilege in the country of 1.4 billion people where researchers say 70% of the groundwater is contaminated. Tap water remains unfit to drink, and 16 people died in Indore city after consuming contaminated tap water in December.

Many in India see bottled water as a necessity and standard 20 U.S.-cent bottles are available widely at convenience stores, restaurants and hotels. The market is worth nearly $5 billion annually and is set to grow 24% a year - among the fastest in the world.

Bottled water demand in United States or China is driven by convenience, making it a $30 billion-plus market in each country which will grow just 4-5% each year, Euromonitor says.

In India, the premium water segment is leading the surge in demand, accounting for 8% of the bottled water market last year compared to just 1% in 2021, Euromonitor said.

"Distrust of municipal water in some areas has escalated the demand for bottled water. Now, people understand how mineral water has more health benefits. It's expensive, but the category will boom," said Amulya Pandit, a senior consultant at Euromonitor specializing in the drinks market.

Among its consumers are New Delhi-based real estate developer B.S. Batra, who says his family uses only premium water at home to get more minerals and safeguard health.

"You feel different, more energetic during the day," said Batra, 49, an avid badminton player.

"I consume mineral water even with whisky at home, and kids use it for their smoothies."

WATER LURES BOLLYWOOD STAR, WEALTHY

The popular 20-cent plastic bottled water is mainly made by Pepsi PEP.O, Coca-Cola KO.N and Indian market leader Bisleri. In addition, Indians who can afford it, install purifiers in their homes which clean the water but also remove most minerals.

Imported and local premium waters are luring wealthy consumers and businesses alike.

Bollywood star Bhumi Pednekar and her sister have launched Backbay - selling 750 ml cartons of mineral water for $2.2; Indian conglomerate Tata is expanding its premium water portfolio, and retailers and businesses are reporting higher sales.

Tata Consumer Products TACN.NS, also Starbucks' SBUX.O partner in India, sells 20-cent bottled water, but premium water is its priority as it sees affluent, health-focused consumers willing to spend on the drink without worrying about the price, CEO Sunil D'Souza said in an interview.

"I don't have to push water uphill...I see a long, long, long runway for the business," he said.

Tata's premium "Himalayan" mineral water factory - which a Reuters photographer visited - is located in the foothills of the Himalayan range in Himachal Pradesh state. Workers there largely keep a hands-free watch on machines filling plastic and glass bottles with water sourced from a natural underground aquifer.

LOOKING FOR SPRINGS

Most Indians prefer still water, and the sparkling variant remains niche. Tata said it plans to launch a sparkling Himalayan water, and is also scouting for natural springs for expanding its other offerings.

At three Foodstories Indian gourmet stores, sales of premium waters tripled in 2025. Customer demand prompted the chain to import "light and creamy" Saratoga Spring Water from New York, which costs 799 rupees ($9) for a 355-millilitre (12-fluid-ounce) bottle, and stocks sold out within days, said co-founder Avni Biyani.

Indian mineral water brand Aava's sales touched a record 805 million rupees ($9 million) last year, growing 40% a year since 2021. Tata said its basic and premium water portfolio will grow 30% a year, after growing tenfold to $65 million in six years.

Imported waters, which attract an over 30% tax, are pricier than Indian brands. Nestle's NESN.S Perrier and San Pellegrino, and Danone's DANO.PA Evian retail for over 300 rupees, or $3.20, for a 750 ml bottle.

Nestle declined to comment, while Danone said the Indian bottled water market was growing at a "robust" pace but imported waters "tend to be niche and boutique."

"When you open your tap, you're not getting an Aava, Evian ... And that is what you're essentially paying for," said water sommelier Mehta.

At the water tasting session, some participants said they enjoyed the experience but many found the price hard to swallow.

"To be honest, it is kind of expensive," said executive Hoshini Vallabhaneni, one of 14 people at the event. "For everyday use - it will burn a hole in the pocket."

(Reporting by Aditya Kalra in New Delhi and Rishika Sadam in Hyderabad; Additional reporting by Alexander Marrow in London and Anushree Fadnavis in Himachal Pradesh; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

((Email: [email protected]; X: @adityakalra;))

Jan 27 (Reuters) - Tata Consumer Products Ltd TACN.NS:

• Q3 CONSOL NET PROFIT 3.85 BILLION RUPEES; IBES PROFIT EST. 4.29 BILLION RUPEES

• Q3 CONSOL REVENUE FROM OPERATIONS 51.12 BILLION RUPEES; IBES EST. 50.32 BILLION RUPEES

Further company coverage: TACN.NS

(([email protected];;))

Jan 6 (Reuters) - Tata Consumer Products Ltd TACN.NS:

• TATA CONSUMER - GETS TAX DEMAND OF 2.69 BILLION RUPEES

Source text: ID:nnAZN4RRKAK

Further company coverage: TACN.NS

(([email protected];;))

Adds details from earnings statement

July 23 (Reuters) - India's Tata Consumer Products TACN.NS missed first-quarter profit estimates on Wednesday, hurt by elevated tea and coffee prices.

Net profit came in at 3.34 billion rupees ($38.7 million) for the quarter ended June, compared with analysts' average estimate of 3.56 billion rupees, according to data compiled by LSEG.

In the year-ago quarter, the company had incurred a one-time restructuring-related cost of 171 million rupees. Excluding that, profit was unchanged on-year.

"Operating performance of branded business was impacted by tea and coffee cost inflation in India and international," said the company, which houses brands such as Tetley Tea and Tata Coffee.

Tata's tea portfolio, which makes up a significant portion of revenue, has been hit by higher prices due to adverse weather conditions and supply chain disruptions.

($1 = 86.3850 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Ananta Agarwal and Hritam Mukherjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)

(([email protected];))

April 23 (Reuters) - Tata Consumer Products Ltd TACN.NS:

• TATA CONSUMER PRODUCTS Q4 CONSOL NET PROFIT 3.45 BLN RUPEES; IBES PROFIT EST. 3.18 BLN RUPEES

• TATA CONSUMER PRODUCTS Q4 CONSOL REVENUE FROM OPERATIONS 46.08 BILLION RUPEES; IBES EST. 45.74 BILLION RUPEES

• DIVIDEND 8.25 RUPEES PER SHARE

Source text: [ID:]

Further company coverage: TACN.NS

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April 1 (Reuters) - Tata Consumer Products Ltd TACN.NS:

• TATA CONSUMER PRODUCTS LTD - RECEIVES TAX ASSESSMENT ORDER WITH DEMAND OF 2.62 BILLION RUPEES

Source text: ID:nBSE2WNWWp

Further company coverage: TACN.NS

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Adds share prices in paragraph 7 and analyst comment in paragraph 8

Jan 31 (Reuters) - Nestle India NEST.NS reported a quarterly profit below market expectations on Friday, as a slowdown in consumer spending in major cities and higher product prices dampened its sales.

Consumer goods makers are struggling to sustain profits due to inflation in palm oil, coffee and cocoa, while slow wage growth and higher prices of essentials like vegetables and pulses have forced city dwellers to tighten their belts.

"It was a quarter that was marked with food inflation, moderation in urban consumption, with gradual recovery in rural consumption," Nestle India Chairman and Managing Director Suresh Narayanan said in a statement.

The Indian arm of Swiss food giant Nestle NESN.S reported a profit of 6.96 billion rupees ($80.34 million) for the third quarter, up 6.2% from a year earlier, but below market estimates of 7.31 billion rupees, according to data from LSEG.

Revenue for Nestle India, home to brands such as Nescafe instant coffee and KitKat chocolate, rose 3.9% to 47.8 billion rupees for the three-month period ended Dec. 31, primarily driven by price hikes.

Revenue jumped 8.1% in the comparable quarter last year.

Shares in Nestle India, which also declared a dividend of 14.25 rupees apiece, climbed as much as 7.7% following the results. At its current levels, up 5.5%, the stock is on course for its best day in more than four years.

The "worst is behind" for consumer goods, with the fourth quarter set to improve sequentially on past price hikes, Nuvama analyst Abneesh Roy said, citing stock gains in Tata Consumer TACN.NS and Colgate-Palmolive India after "weak results".

($1 = 86.6370 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Praveen Paramasivam in Chennai and Kashish Tandon in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)

(([email protected]; +91 867-525-3569;))

Jan 30 (Reuters) - Tata Consumer Products Ltd TACN.NS:

• RE-APPOINTS SUNIL D'SOUZA AS MD & CEO

• RE-APPOINTMENT OF MANAGING DIRECTOR & CEO FOR FURTHER PERIOD OF 5 YEARS

Source text: ID:nBSE7RXhS3

Further company coverage: TACN.NS

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The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are her own. Refiles to add hyperlinks.

By Shritama Bose

MUMBAI, Jan 16 (Reuters Breakingviews) - If India wants to prop up its stalling economic growth, it will have to sacrifice some of the financial stability underpinning the country’s moment on the global stage.

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, consumption by India’s 294 million households has nearly trebled to $2.07 trillion over the past decade. It is the top engine of the $4 trillion economy and drives around 60% of GDP. Yet consumer spending is weak and has decoupled dramatically from the path of national output since the year ended March 2023, according to economists at state-owned Punjab National Bank.

Beyond the luxury market where well-heeled Indians are spending big on the high life, cracks are appearing; car sales crawled during the usually busy annual Diwali holiday in October-November. Indians are eating out less often. Starbucks SBUX.O and its partner Tata Consumer Products TACN.NS, meanwhile, are pushing the brakes on expansion; their target to hit 1,000 coffee stores by 2028 is unchanged but they are slowing the pace of new openings. Starbucks has more than 6,500 stores in China.

As it stands, India expects its GDP growth in the current year to March will hit a four-year low of 6.4%, the lower end of the pace policymakers envisioned the country sustaining for the next decade. In short, consumption is fading before it has had a real chance to flourish.

A weak jobs environment lies at the heart of the problem. The abundance of labour in the world’s most populous country is making wages crawl. It puts a perverse spin on the vaunted demographic dividend: casual and regular workers in 2023 earned an average real monthly wage roughly 1% lower than in the previous year, an International Labour Organization report based on official data shows. That’s prompted fears of a middle class shrinking instead of growing.

As a result of stagnant real incomes, middle-class Indians don't have much left over for the kind of discretionary purchases that would power a U.S.-style consumer economy.

"There used to be a middle segment, which used to be the segment that most of us fast moving consumer goods firms used to operate in, which is the middle class of the country, that seems to be shrinking," Suresh Narayanan, chair of Nestle’s India NEST.NS unit, warned in October. His peers have sounded an alarm about weak consumption in rural India for years.

The problem is worryingly broad-based. IT companies, typically the biggest private sector employers, are making fewer hires and paying less. Demand for their services like those provided by Tata Consultancy Services TCS.NS is growing slower. Automation and advances in technology including artificial intelligence are killing repetitive jobs in outsourcing and financial services, so firms are not backfilling roles when they fall vacant.

Farmers’ incomes benefited in 2024 from a strong monsoon but it’s a brief respite after two years of stagnating incomes for the 46% of the workforce depending on agriculture. Climate change is upsetting weather and food-inflation patterns: in June, rating agency Moody's tipped water stress as a sovereign credit risk to India.

The long-term answer is to create more jobs outside of agriculture. Modi’s administration is pushing manufacturing investment in the hope that factories will absorb workers and pay them better. However, the foreign direct investment required to speed progress is declining.

In the short term, New Delhi needs to act to avoid a return to a trend of weak output and consumption growth following a two-year phase of post-pandemic revenge spending. The reduced private spending is hitting growth directly and shrinking tax collections. Poor demand also means lower private investment, and that burdens the government with an even bigger role in turbocharging GDP.

Authorities could cut taxes to stimulate consumption. They are considering lower levies on personal income in the budget in February, Reuters reported in December, citing two official sources. Yet New Delhi will be hard-pressed to forego revenue without imperiling its goal to consolidate the fiscal deficit to 4.5% of GDP by March 2026.

A larger deficit could further beat down consumption if it prompts a spike in the government’s borrowing costs, triggers a lower sovereign credit rating and weakens demand for the rupee in international currency markets. That would make India’s oil import bill heftier and prompt a surge in inflation: Oil prices are already spiking following U.S. curbs on oil tankers supplying Russian crude.

Those problems could quickly compound if, as expected, Indian policymakers try to keep exports competitive by allowing the rupee to track the weakening yuan. That currency is getting battered by fears of a second trade war between China and the United States under Donald Trump’s imminent presidency.

Alternatively, the central bank could boost consumption by making it easier for individuals to tap credit. New governor, Sanjay Malhotra, will be wary of risks stemming from eye-popping growth in consumer loan books as the banking system only recently recovered from a corporate bad debt crisis. The Reserve Bank of India raised risk weights for unsecured lending in November 2023. These measures added to a chill in consumer spending – personal loans are growing at nearly half their pace a year ago. Nonetheless, the RBI expects banks’ asset quality to weaken.

The rosy narrative of strong growth and macroeconomic stability is fragile. If policymakers do intervene, they would be better off doing it sooner rather than later.

Follow @ShritamaBose on X

(Editing by Una Galani and Aditya Srivastav)

((For previous columns by the author, Reuters customers can click on BOSE/
[email protected]))

Dec 24 (Reuters) - Arunjyoti Bio Ventures Ltd ARUY.BO:

• TATA CONSUMER PRODUCTS ARRANGED MACHINERY WORTH 89 MILLION RUPEES

Source text: ID:nBSE8j8Vlv

Further company coverage: ARUY.BO

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Dec 19 (Reuters) - TATA CONSUMER:

• TATA CONSUMER: REPORT ON STARBUCKS EXITING INDIA IS BASELESS

Source text: ID:nBSE2cxmNY

Further company coverage: SBUX.O

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Dec 16 (Reuters) - India's Tata Consumer Products TACN.NS "will calibrate" its plans to open Starbucks stores in the near term at a time when fewer customers are walking into its cafes in the world's most populous country, its top boss said on Monday.

"We will calibrate for the short term ... In the near term there will be pressure," Tata Consumer CEO Sunil D'Souza told Reuters, adding that its Tata Starbucks joint venture is still focused on reaching its 2028 goal.

Separately, D'Souza also said Tata Consumer's revenue would increase in the double-digit percentage range in the second half of the ongoing financial year, with profit coming under pressure due to higher prices of raw materials, including tea.

(Reporting by Praveen Paramasivam, Editing by Louise Heavens)

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Oct 18 (Reuters) - India's Tata Consumer Products TACN.NS reported second-quarter profit above estimates on Friday, as the salt-to-spices maker benefited from higher demand for its packaged food amid a pickup in rural demand.

The Tata group-owned company reported a near-8% jump in consolidated net profit to 3.64 billion rupees ($43.3 million) for the three months ended Sept. 30, outpacing analysts' estimate of 3.28 billion rupees, per data compiled by LSEG.

Rural demand has gathered pace over the last three quarters, including the July-September period, overtaking urban growth, partly driven by increased government spending.

Tata Consumer, known for products such as 'Tetley' tea, its namesake brand of salt and 'Organic India' herbal supplements, has been expanding its distribution network, including in small towns and villages, to capitalize on the growing demand.

This helped its Indian food business, which sells a variety of packaged products including pulses and spices, post a 28% jump in quarterly revenue. Its international business, meanwhile, rose 7%, countering weak demand for its beverages in India.

Overall revenue from operations grew nearly 13% to 42.14 billion rupees.

To counter growing expenses squeezing companies selling coffee and tea globally, Tata Consumer has increased the prices of its tea in India, while also jacking up the prices of its packaged salt.

Earlier this week, instant coffee maker Nestle India's NEST.NS second-quarter profit fell, as it grappled with higher ingredient prices and softer consumer demand.

Meanwhile, Marico MRCO.NS expects second-quarter revenue to grow owing to price hikes, while Dabur DABU.NS expects its first quarterly revenue decline in four years, citing weak demand for its foods and beverages.

Tata Consumer's shares closed marginally higher on Friday, taking gains to 2% this year.

($1 = 84.0280 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Ashna Teresa Britto and Praveen Paramasivam; Editing by Sonia Cheema)

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Oct 11 (Reuters) -

• NOEL TATA APPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF TATA TRUSTS - CNBC TV18

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Updates, adds Bill Gates quote in paragraph 8, funeral details in 9-12

By Tanvi Mehta

NEW DELHI, Oct 10 (Reuters) - India bade farewell on Thursday to one of its most respected corporate leaders - Ratan Tata, who expanded companies under his brand name into a global behemoth spanning multiple industries.

Ahead of a state funeral, hundreds of people including corporate leaders, politicians and celebrities gathered in India's financial hub Mumbai to pay their last respects to Tata, who died aged 86 on Wednesday.

Known for his exemplary business acumen and philanthropic nature, Tata as chairman led various companies within the Tata conglomerate for more than 20 years. It recorded revenue of $165 billion in 2023-24.

Although in recent years Tata was not as active in the day-to-day running of the group, he was consulted on big decisions by the Tata Sons leadership, a senior company executive told Reuters.

Tata had been in a Mumbai hospital since Monday, but the cause of his death was not immediately made public.

After his death, tributes poured in from around the world, underlining a popularity that transcended boundaries and generations.

"India and the world have lost a giant with a giant heart," U.S. Ambassador Eric Garcetti said on X regarding Tata, who was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian honour.

Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates said on LinkedIn:

"Ratan Tata was a visionary leader whose dedication to improving lives left an indelible mark on India—and the world... His loss will be felt around the world for years to come, but I know the legacy he left and example he set will continue to inspire generations."

Draped in the Indian national flag, Ratan Tata's body was kept at a cultural centre in Mumbai before being cremated with full state honours.

Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, Tata Sons' N. Chandrasekaran and Aditya Birla Group's Kumar Mangalam Birla were among business leaders who paid their last respects.

Other attendees included India's Home Minister Amit Shah, central bank governor Shaktikanta Das, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and actor Aamir Khan.

A licensed pilot who would occasionally fly the company plane, Tata never married and was known for his quiet demeanour, relatively modest lifestyle and philanthropic work.

His love for animals led him to start the Small Animal Hospital in Mumbai and he often used social media to voice his concern for stray animals. His pet dog was brought to the funeral.

"We will remember his legacy of transformative giving to Cornell," his alma mater Cornell University said on X, calling Tata their most generous international donor.

(Reporting by Tanvi Mehta; editing by Michael Perry and Mark Heinrich)

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Oct 9 (Reuters) - Ratan Tata, the former Tata Group chairman who put a staid and sprawling Indian conglomerate on the global stage with a string of high-profile acquisitions, has died, Tata Group said in a statement late on Wednesday. He was 86.

(Reporting by Abhirup Roy and Gursimran Kaur; Editing by Edwina Gibbs and Chris Reese)

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July 30 (Reuters) - Tata Consumer Products Ltd TACN.NS:

• TATA CONSUMER PRODUCTS Q1 CONSOL NET PROFIT 2.9 BILLION RUPEES; IBES PROFIT EST. 3.56 BILLION RUPEES

• TATA CONSUMER PRODUCTS Q1 CONSOL REVENUE FROM OPERATIONS 43.52 BILLION RUPEES; IBES EST. 42.97 BILLION RUPEES

Further company coverage: TACN.NS

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July 23 (Reuters) - Tata Consumer Products Ltd TACN.NS:

• TATA CONSUMER - APPROVED RIGHTS ISSUE SIZE OF 36.6 MILLION SHARES WORTH 29.98 BILLION RUPEES

• TATA CONSUMER - APPROVED RIGHTS ISSUE PRICE AT 818 RUPEES PER SHARE

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Further company coverage: TACN.NS

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May 3 (Reuters) - Tata Consumer Products Ltd TACN.NS:

• GETS TAX ORDER FOR PENALTY AT ABOUT 2 MILLION RUPEES

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Further company coverage: TACN.NS

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By Rishika Sadam

HYDERABAD, May 2 (Reuters) - India's food safety regulator said on Thursday it had ordered nationwide testing and inspections at all companies making spice mixes, widening a crackdown on the sector as global regulators investigate contamination issues with two popular local brands.

Hong Kong last month suspended sales of three spice blends made by India's MDH and an Everest spice mix for fish curry. Singapore ordered a recall of the same Everest mix as well, flagging high levels of ethylene oxide, which is unfit for human consumption and a cancer risk with long exposure.

MDH and Everest products are hugely popular in India and also sold in Europe, Asia and North America, and the companies have said they are safe. Still, U.S. and Australian food authorities said they are gathering more information on the matter, and India had already ordered testing of the two brands' products.

The Indian regulator has now ordered officials to conduct "extensive inspections, sampling and testing at all the manufacturing units", for powdered spices, with a focus on those making curry powders and mixed spice blends for local and foreign sales.

"Each of the product sampled will be analysed for the compliance with quality and safety parameters," the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India said in a statement.

The agency added checks would also be made for any presence of ethylene oxide, whose use is banned in India, and "appropriate actions will be initiated as fit" after testing was completed.

India is the world's biggest exporter, producer and consumer of spices, and its domestic market for the products was valued at $10.44 billion in 2022, according to Zion Market Research.

Beyond MDH and Everest, other major manufacturers include Madhusudan Masala MADD.NS, NHC Foods NHCF.BO and consumer giants Tata Consumer Products TACN.NS and ITC ITC.NS.

(Reporting by Rishika Sadam; Editing by Aditya Kalra and Jamie Freed)

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BENGALURU, April 24 (Reuters) - Shares of India's Tata Consumer Products TACN.NS fell as much as 5.7% on Wednesday, after it missed fourth-quarter revenue estimates, as consumers cut back on discretionary spending amid sticky food inflation, while stiff competition also dampened demand.

The company's consolidated revenue from operations rose 8.5% to 39.27 billion rupees ($471.4 million), missing analysts estimate of 39.91 bln rupees, as per LSEG data.

($1 = 83.3075 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Ashna Teresa Britto in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonia Cheema)

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