37% spend more than 1 hour on OTT -Axis My India March CSI Survey

Axis My India, a leading consumer data intelligence company, released its latest findings of the India Consumer Sentiment Index (CSI), a monthly analysis of consumer perception on a wide range of issues. The March report highlights that consumption of media such as TV, Internet, Radio has increased for 19% of the families. Moreover, the survey on media consumption reveal a deeper penetration & time spent on OTT platform amongst Indian viewers.

The March net CSI score, calculated by percentage increase minus percentage decrease in sentiment, is at +8, from +10 last month reflecting a decrease by 2 points.

The sentiment analysis delves into five relevant sub-indices – Overall household spending, spending on essential and non-essential items, spending on healthcare, media consumption habits, entertainment & tourism trends.

The survey was carried out via Computer-Aided Telephonic Interviews with a sample size of 10124 people across 36 states and UTs. 65% belonged to rural India, while 35% belonged to urban counterparts. In terms of regional spread, 26% belong to the Northern parts while 30% belong to the Eastern parts of India. Moreover, 24% and 20% belonged to Western and Southern parts of India respectively. 67% of the respondents were male, while 33% were female. In terms of the two majority sample groups, 31% reflect the age group 36YO to 50YO and 27% reflect the age group of 26YO to 35YO.

Commenting on the CSI report, Pradeep Gupta, Chairman & MD, Axis My India, said, “Over-the-top (OTT) consumption has been steadily growing among Indian consumers in recent years, particularly with the increasing availability of affordable high-speed internet connectivity and the widespread adoption of smartphones. The COVID-19 pandemic has also contributed to the growth of OTT consumption in India, with more people spending time at home and seeking entertainment options online. Many OTT platforms have reported a surge in viewership during the pandemic. Overall, the trend towards OTT consumption among Indian consumers is expected to continue in the coming years, driven by the growing demand for digital content, and the convenience of watching content anytime, anywhere, on any device.”

Key findings on Media Consumption Behaviour

• Consumption of media (TV, Internet, Radio etc.) has increased for 19% of the families, which reflects a decrease by 1% from last month. The overall, net score, which was at 0 last month, is at -1 this month

• The survey also threw light on the OTT (Over-the-top) viewing behaviour of viewers. According to the survey, 29% spend 1-3hrs watching content on OTT platforms, while 26% spend upto 30 minutes on OTT platforms. 23% watch content for 31mins-1hr and interestingly there are 8% who watch it for more than 3 hours.

• Moreover, the survey also discovered that 24% share their OTT passwords with their friends & family.

Key findings on the five indices

• Expenses towards health-related items such as vitamins, tests, healthy food has surged for 35% of the families. This reflects an increase in consumption by 2% from last month. The health score which has a negative connotation i.e., the lesser the spends on health items the better the sentiments, has a net score value -24 this month.

• Mobility has increased for 7% of the families, which reflects a decrease by 2% from last month. The overall mobility net indicator score, which was at +2 last month, is at zero this month.

• Overall household spending has increased for 58% of families, decrease by 1% from last month. The net score, which was +52 last month has decreased by 1 to +51 this month.

• Spends on essentials like personal care & household items has increased for 36% of the families, which reflects a dip by 4% from last month. The net score, which was at +29 last month, has decreased by 6 to +23 this month.

• Spends on non-essential & discretionary products like AC, Car, and Refrigerator has increased for 4% of families, which reflects a decrease by 1% from last month. The net score, which was at +1 last month, is at zero this month. Sentiment towards discretionary spending has steadily decreased over the last four months.