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Leading Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) manufacturers are signaling plans to increase prices in the second quarter of the 2027 fiscal year because raw material costs remain high, although they maintain optimism regarding demand, citing stable consumption trends, premiumization, and revenue growth.

The FMCG sector, which increased prices by an average of 2–5 percent in the June quarter, is considering using a 'shrinkflation' strategy—reducing product weight or selective pricing—in the current quarter to protect its margins. Meanwhile, companies are closely monitoring inflationary pressure, crude oil price volatility, and weather risks such as monsoons and El Niño.

Britannia, a major bakery producer, stated that it expects to raise prices by another 1.5–2 percent in the second quarter through 'shrinkflation' on 5 and 10 rupee packs of biscuits, as the prices of sugar and palm oil are high. Britannia's MD and CEO, Rakshit Hargave, noted during the earnings call that the overall effect could be around 1 percent, but an additional increase could reach 1.5–2 percent.

Hargave also emphasized that the 'demand environment is strong' and the 'trend is good,' expecting to maintain EBITDA margins for FY27 at least at the FY26 level if raw material costs remain elevated.

Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL), which raised the average price by about 5 percent in the June quarter, may introduce an increase in the current quarter, but the company is refraining from any price actions until raw material cost trends become clearer. CEO Sudhir Sitapati stated that the company is avoiding large increases due to fluctuations in crude oil prices but allows for the possibility of a similar hike in the second quarter.

Sitapati added that many costs are linked to crude oil and reflect price changes with a lag of three to four weeks. Since Brent crude oil is fluctuating around $80–$85 per barrel, GCPL believes that current pricing is generally adequate and does not see the need for a significant additional price increase. He also noted that thanks to revenue growth exceeding initial expectations, the company enters the remainder of FY 2027 with increased confidence.

Dabur India reported that high raw material costs are likely to persist in the near term, necessitating calibrated price increases alongside a heightened focus on productivity improvements and cost reduction to maintain margins. Global CEO of Dabur India, Mohit Malhotra, stated that growth will be more driven by revenue and prices, as inflation has forced it onto the consumer.

Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL), a major FMCG player, is also expected to raise prices across various product categories in the September quarter, forecasting consistent inflation of 2–5 percent compared to the April-June period. HUL's Director and CEO, Priya Nair, stated that the company will continue to employ 'calibrated' pricing to offset the impact in the current quarter while protecting volume-driven growth.

Managing Director of Tata Consumer Products Ltd, Sunil D'Souza, noted that the company will take further price interventions if necessary, as costs have been quite volatile. He also mentioned that the situation in West Asia remains unstable, so the company is not rushing into price increases that lack sufficient basis, aiming for growth in the mid to upper range of single digits.

Nestle India acknowledged concerns related to geopolitical and inflationary difficulties, noting that 'overall consumption may moderately decline in the short term.' The company pointed out that the conflict in the Middle East and the potential impact of El Niño on monsoons remain key factors to monitor the growth of the food and beverage sector.

Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) announced that it has achieved its highest performance in its history, registering a record annual profit exceeding 500 crore rupees.

The CIAL Board of Directors, which convened for the first time under the chairmanship of Chief Minister V D Satheesan, approved several strategic directions. Among these is the company's entry into the airport consulting sector, aimed at leveraging the country's rapidly growing aviation infrastructure segment.

Furthermore, the Board recommended paying shareholders a dividend of 55 percent for the 2025-26 financial year. This was stated in the company's announcement, which specified that the General Meeting of Shareholders is tentatively scheduled for September.

Financial Report Details

According to the presented data, for the financial year ending March 31, 2026, CIAL generated total revenue of 1,220 crore rupees, demonstrating a 6.6 percent growth compared to the previous year. The company reported that net profit increased from 499 crore rupees in the last fiscal year to 502 crore rupees, marking the first instance where an airport operator exceeded a profit of 500 crore rupees.

The key decision to diversify into the airport consulting segment was made to capitalize on India's projected expansion of aviation infrastructure. It is expected that investments exceeding 50,000 crore rupees will be made in this sector over the next decade.

CIAL intends to provide specialized consulting services, including airport master planning, runway development, cargo infrastructure, ground handling services, duty-free operations, commercial development, and property management, for airports across India.

During the 2025-26 financial year, the company served 114,425,833 passengers and recorded 73,134 aircraft movements. The airport also maintained its status of handling over one crore passengers for the fourth consecutive fiscal year, highlighting sustained traffic growth despite challenging conditions in aviation.

Ministers P K Kunhalikutty and Roji M John joined the CIAL Board, in addition to the chairman.