Consumer goods companies post higher sales despite rising food inflation

Consumer goods companies operating in Pakistan reported improved sales in the first nine months of 2026 and in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, even as food inflation rose and higher fuel costs weakened household purchasing power, Dawn reported.

The newspaper linked the pressure on purchasing power to Middle East tensions since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran on February 28, which it said had driven fuel costs higher.

Nestlé Pakistan recorded net sales of Rs160 billion for the nine months ended September 30, a rise of 6.3 per cent over the same period a year earlier, according to the report. The company is the largest listed food and beverage manufacturer in the country.

Dawn reported the higher sales across both local and multinational consumer goods companies. The nine-month period to September 30 also takes in the first quarter of FY27, which began on July 1.

The report said some companies remain cautious about their full-year 2026 outlook amid persistent inflationary pressures. It did not set out their forecasts in the section of the report published on Sunday.

Dawn put the results in the context of rising food inflation and the squeeze on purchasing power from costlier fuel, describing the firms as defying economic headwinds.