Brands
Toilet, floor cleaner brands piggyback on the Swacch Bharat Mission
MUMBAI: Ever since the government launched its ‘Swacch Bharat Mission’, brands have left no stone unturned to make hay while the sun shines.
As per a recent TAM Adex report, the toilet and floor cleaners’ brands have made an incredible spike of 244 per cent in their ad volumes on TV from 2014 to 2018.
Commenting on the trend, TRA Research CEO N Chandramouli says, “This increase in TAM Adex is a direct reflection of the toilet and floor cleaning brands' smart piggybacking on Swachh Bharat campaign. Incidentally, it has also been used significantly by disinfectant liquid soap brands.”
However, he cautions such brands to tread carefully with their campaigns, “Brands wait eagerly for such initiatives which will give them a wave to ride on. However, if a brand uses such waves too blatantly, it can also backfire on them as it can seem pushy thereby reducing the buying propensity, the important mix of brand trust and brand desire, of the brand.”
Bijoor Consults Inc founder and brand guru Harish Bijoor notes, “Swacch Bharat has actually upped the sensitivity to toilets, hygiene, toilet cleaning and more. If you look at the government sector buying more products in this segment as well, you will see a blip!”
Brand-nomics managing director Viren Razdan believes that the huge multi-level activation campaign of Swacch Bharat Mission has got the new-age Indian and his civic sense and national pride a never-before significance. He says, “It has also sparked off the renewed idea of hygiene which has been used fairly well by these categories. So, while in the past these brands did make their presence felt – it’s just that the new environment has created a fairly receptive mindset and brands are muscling their way for this new-found attention.”
He continues, “While earlier brands created their own space to a narrow focussed TG – suddenly the idea has been magnified in scale and width reaching a social issue, the category would obviously respond to the heat.”
Not just that, toilet soaps, toothpaste, shampoos, and washing powder/liquids also saw a huge spike in their ad volumes on TV, all of them increasing by more than 100 per cent. In fact, the report also showed that in the top 10 sectors to advertise on TV, personal healthcare improved its position by two spots; it was ranked sixth in 2014 and fourth in 2018.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI:Â Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
