Rural environment continues to remain volatile, says Colgate-Palmolive India

Despite the overall volatility, Narasimhan pointed out a notable trend in the ₹20 segment, predominantly driven by rural India. "We are seeing tremendous momentum in the ₹20 segment, which is largely a rural India-driven segment. That segment continues to outpace the market and do well. That is one area that we are seeing strong performance," she remarked, underscoring the resilience of this specific market segment.

Discussing the raw material environment, Narasimhan provided a positive outlook. "We are continuing to see a fairly benign cost environment, which we have observed over the last few months. Many of our major input ingredients remain quite benign and stable at that level," she explained, offering some relief amidst the economic uncertainties.

Narasimhan also shared Colgate-Palmolive's strategic focus on expanding oral health initiatives in the country. "We have a significant opportunity to grow oral health in this country. One of our key focuses is on the idea of night brushing or brushing twice a day, and a lot of effort, therefore, is going behind this sweet tooth campaign," she revealed, outlining the company's commitment to promoting better oral hygiene practices.