Joint vs nuclear families: North and South India beg to differ again

Jul 27, 2023

By: Katya Naidu

Size of homes shrinking

Half of India now stays in nuclear families – which are a basic unit with parents and their dependent children, as per Kantar’s Consumer Connections 2023 report.

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Nuclear families are growing

In 2008, 37 percent of Indians stayed in such families, with the rest in joint families that have grandparents, cousins and more.

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South goes nuclear, North is saath-saath

About 69 percent in South India stay in nuclear families. In the North, 38 percent stay in nuclear families. West and East are closer to the national average of 50 percent.

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Joint families spend less

As family size increases, families become more judicious in their consumption, says Kantar.

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More people, same spends

A nuclear family with around 3 people spends ₹15,200 a month compared to ₹15,100 per month spent by a joint family with almost 7 members.

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Housewives who earn

Nuclear families have more working housewives, with 40 percent of housewives who are employed. This could be a direct effect of more education as 80 percent of women in nuclear families have some level of education.

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Nuclear families go premium

Nuclearisation of family is leading to premiumisation of FMCG in India. Premiumisation is not necessarily linked to affluence alone, smaller the household, greater their propensity to premiumise, says Kantar.

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Expensive soaps

About 76 percent of nuclear homes prefer premium toilet soaps, 68 percent prefer premium washing powders — much higher than their joint family counterparts – within the same socio-economic profile.

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More categories

Nuclear families also buy more home hygiene products, snacks and beverages.

Credit: Pixabay

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