How GST changes are impacting your favorite ₹1, ₹5, ₹10 packs
Big GST changes just kicked in across India from September 22, merging the old 12% and 28% tax rates into new slabs of 5% and 18%.
A new 40% slab has been added for luxury and 'sin' goods such as tobacco, sweet aerated drinks, and top-end cars, while nil/exempt rates remain.
This has pushed FMCG brands to rethink how they price everyday essentials—especially those ₹1, ₹5, and ₹10 packs you see everywhere.
Companies are either increasing product quantity or dropping prices
Some companies like HUL and Bikaji Foods are giving you more product for the same price (think bigger soap bars or shampoo sachets), while others like Coca-Cola and Parle are simply dropping prices—Coke's small Maaza is now ₹9 instead of ₹10, and Parle has trimmed biscuit pack prices too.
The goal? To balance passing on savings with keeping things convenient for shoppers.