Consumer goods industries
Also called: Non-basic industries · Topic: Secondary Activities: Manufacturing and Industrial Location · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 5 "Secondary Activities"
Meaning
Consumer goods industries make products that people buy and use directly. They are also called non-basic industries. Their goods are not used to make other goods. Common examples are bread and biscuits, tea, soaps and toiletries, writing paper and televisions. These industries rely on basic industries for their machines, metals and chemicals.
Example
A soap factory buys chemicals and packaging from other industries. It also uses machines built from steel. What it sells is a bar of soap, which a family uses at home. That makes it a consumer goods industry.
Don't confuse with
- Basic industries (key industries): these make products that other industries use as raw material. Iron and steel is the classic example. NCERT's chain is iron and steel → textile machinery → cloth for consumers. Only the last step is a consumer good.
Related concepts
- Basic industries
- Public sector industry
- Private sector industries
- Joint sector industries
- Mixed economy