Consumption pattern among the selected urban slum households in Coimbatore city

Consumption, in economic theory, means the final use of goods and services to satisfy human wants, needs and desires. It is a process of deriving utility from goods and services. Consumption is defined as the total value of expenditures on goods and services for the current use by the household sector (Henderson and Poole, 1991). Food being the foremost basic need gets priority in the patterns of expenditure of people, especially the poor classes. Access to food demands affordability which depends upon two factors, namely, income of the people and prices prevailing in the country. The study throws light on the impact of socio-economic determinants on consumption expenditure and to identity the determinants which distinguish the poor households from the non-poor households. Seventy five households were selected by adopting purposive sampling technique and Data were collected from primary source during the period November to December 2014 at Ukkadam in Coimbatore City. Data was analysed by using critical ratio test, stepwise regression analysis, Gini coefficient and discriminant analysis. The study found that poor households were characterised by poor socio-economic status reflected in low income, low literacy, low paying occupation and unhealthy living conditions.