mumbai/new delhi, May 8 -- Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL) is betting on easing food inflation, tax cuts, and upcoming pay commission hikes to revive consumer demand over the next 12 to 18 months, chief executive officer Sudhir Sitapati said on Wednesday. Despite lingering headwinds in its core soaps business due to a surge in palm oil prices, the company expects demand to pick up as inflation stabilizes and the impact of government welfare schemes kicks in. For the March quarter, GCPL reported a 6% rise in consolidated volumes and a 6.2% increase in revenue to Rs.3,597.95 crore. But the company's broader strategy hinges on a pivot to emerging categories like pet care, liquid detergents, and deodorants, where it sees higher growth potential even as its soaps segment remains under pressure. Sitapati expressed confidence in the outlook for FMCG demand, citing factors like reduced food inflation and the government's income tax cuts and welfare schemes. "We are bullish about consumer demand over the next 12 months for a variety of reasons. The El Nino effect basically took up food prices in India last year. Food price inflation has an immediate impact on FMCG consumption. Now that El Nino has reversed, food price inflation has come down in the January to March period," he said. "We should see some kind of demand coming back," he added. GCPL's performance in the March quarter reflects this cautious optimism. Its consolidated revenue from operations grew 6.2% to Rs.3,597.95 crore, with a profit of Rs.411.90 crore, compared to a Rs.1,893.21 crore loss a year ago. For FY24, the company saw a 2% rise in revenue from operations, totalling Rs.14,364.29 crore. htc...