Households expecting higher inflation affects bank savings: RBI paper
The Hindu
Sentiment shapes consumption patterns, savings: RBI paper
When expectations around future inflation are on the higher side, households change their savings portfolio with respect to bank deposits, according to a working paper released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday.
Inflation expectations play a vital role in regulating households’ consumption behaviour and consequent savings, said the paper titled ‘Taking Cognisance of Households’ Inflation Expectations in India’.
The paper is authored by Devendra Pratap Singh, Aditya Mishra and Purnima Shaw of the RBI. The findings of the paper are of the authors and not of the RBI, the authors said.

The latest Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) by MoS&PI reveals a transformative shift in India’s economic landscape. For the first time in over a decade, granular data on Monthly Per Capita Expenditure (MPCE) highlights a significant decline in the proportional share of food spending—a classic validation of Engel’s Law as real incomes rise. Between 1999 and 2024, both rural and urban consumption pivoted away from staple-heavy diets toward protein-rich foods, health, education, and conveyance. As Indian households move beyond subsistence, these shifting Indian household spending patterns offer vital insights for social sector policy, poverty estimation, and the lived realities of an expanding middle-income population.












