“India has a sizeable Muslim population of 172 million people, almost 15 per cent of the 1.2 billion total (according to the 2011 Census),” said Shafeeq Rahman, a researcher on halal markets. “At least 14 per cent of the Muslim population belong to the upper class, a big market for companies. Special products and offers by mainstream companies during the month of Ramadan would be a bridge to reach out the Muslim consumer and could expand their market for untapped customers.” He cited the example of Britannia Industries’ special morning bread for Ramadan.
However, Shafeeq also noted a general failure among the mainstream companies to fully tap the potential of this market. “After Diwali [the Hindu festival of light], Ramadan could be among the biggest shopping festivals in India. Muslims throughout the country buy new clothes, just like in Diwali. Clothing brands can do more to leverage this potential,” he remarked.
So far, the unorganised segment has managed to garner the majority share of the Ramadan-focused market. In Chennai, a major city in South India, it’s common for customers to receive advertising pamphlets along with their morning newspapers. These pamphlets feature special Ramadan offers from city-based companies that target the 10 per cent of the Chennai’s population who are Muslim.
Shafeeq also noted that in the tourism sector it is the smaller tour operators who have aggressively marketed travel packages for those who want to spend the Holy Month making a pilgrimage. “Many of the affluent Muslims prefer to spend the whole month in the Holy City,” he said. “This [travel packages during Ramadan] is something that the bigger tour companies can surely launch.”
Published at MySalaam dated 07.06.2017
However, Shafeeq also noted a general failure among the mainstream companies to fully tap the potential of this market. “After Diwali [the Hindu festival of light], Ramadan could be among the biggest shopping festivals in India. Muslims throughout the country buy new clothes, just like in Diwali. Clothing brands can do more to leverage this potential,” he remarked.
So far, the unorganised segment has managed to garner the majority share of the Ramadan-focused market. In Chennai, a major city in South India, it’s common for customers to receive advertising pamphlets along with their morning newspapers. These pamphlets feature special Ramadan offers from city-based companies that target the 10 per cent of the Chennai’s population who are Muslim.
Shafeeq also noted that in the tourism sector it is the smaller tour operators who have aggressively marketed travel packages for those who want to spend the Holy Month making a pilgrimage. “Many of the affluent Muslims prefer to spend the whole month in the Holy City,” he said. “This [travel packages during Ramadan] is something that the bigger tour companies can surely launch.”
Published at MySalaam dated 07.06.2017
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