“Are All Low-Income Consumers are Stereotype in Respect of Their Consumption Expendituere on Various Items?” A Comparative Study

Abstract

Low-income consumers are the people who leads their life by satisfying their essential needs with their limited resources. Majority of the Indian population more or less related to this category, that’s why the present study has been taken up in the selected area. To find out the average consumption expenditure of low-income consumers in the proposed study area. The objectives of the study are to know the pattern of consumption expenditure of low-income consumers on different items and to know the variation in the consumption expenditure of low-income consumers on essential commodities, durable goods and non-durable goods. The other objectives are to know the difference in the consumption expenditure of low-income consumers in respect of their literacy level and employment. In this regard the hypotheses are Ho: There is no difference in the average consumption expenditure of essential commodities and the average consumption expenditure of durable and non-durable goods. Ho2: The average consumption expenditure on essential commodities is same as durable goods. H03: The average consumption expenditure on durable goods is same as non-durable goods etc. Multi stage disproportionate non-random sampling technique was employed for selecting the sample in the proposed study area. Out of four districts in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh we have selected two districts that is Kadapa and Chittoor. Five families each were selected from 50 mandal of Kadapa district. And out of 50 mandals of Chittoor district we have selected five families from each mandal. Hence, altogether it becomes 500 families for the present study. One-way Anova post hoc test multiple comparisons and two - way Anova Univariate, Mean and Standard deviation were used in the present study. The low-income consumers’ consumption expenditure is not the same in respect of all the items that is their average consumption expenditure on essential commodities is different from durable and non- durable goods. In the present study it is clear that the low-income consumers’ consumption expenditure on essential commodities is high next followed by durable goods and non-durable goods. It is suggested that the producers and marketers have to concentrate on essential commodities where they can encash the demand of the low-income consumers.