Over 80% Indian consumers prefer Chinese goods: Survey

A recent survey of Indian consumers has suggested that 83 percent prefer Chinese goods over Indian ones, reports the big circulation Hindustan Times.

It showed that Indian consumers felt goods made in India were expensive, while Chinese goods are better value for money, and of better quality.

The online poll of 9,873 people by an Indian research company measured attitudes to similar products.

In all five surveys were carried out, asking whether Indian consumers preferred to buy Chinese goods, and if so whether that was true of all categories of goods.

Some 38 percent of those questioned said they favored Chinese durable consumer goods like mobile phones and other electronic devices, 15 percent would buy household and decorative products, and 10 percent would buy gifts items. Some 37 percent preferred Chinese goods in all the above mentioned categories.

On the other hand, Indian consumers had higher expectations of Chinese goods. A total of 96 percent of consumers surveyed wanted the "Made in China" label clearly marked so that they could more easily decide whether to buy Chinese goods or not.

Indian consumers have also expressed concerns about India's large trade deficit with China. In a survey of what measures can be taken to reduce the trade deficit, 56 percent of those questioned thought India should ban imports of Chinese goods in some categories. Some 21 percent believed India should also try to export electronic products to China.

According to Gao Feng, spokesman of China's Ministry of Commerce, in the first half of 2017, 37 trade remedy investigations from 15 countries and regions were made against China. India made 12 investigations, which was the most.