Lockdown Period

Income affected

Covid Lockdown seriously hit financially to not only lower class but middle and upper class also.
Our interviewee also affected by the covid lockdown, their income kind of affected adversely.
Below are the some of the response of them upon asking how was lockdown period?

“ . Lockdown mein halat sahi ni the”

” income mai thora sa adverse effect shuru mai aaya tha uske baad phir barh gai”

Hygiene and Sanitation Spending

Covid pandemic increased the household’s expendetiure due to buying products like masks,
sanitizers etc. It was not that much reflected in that of lower-class households’ reason being the
affordability due tovery low income level. As one of our interviewees quoted: “ek tu lockdown
mein dhandee band upar se sanitizer lene parte thay    masks lene parte thay”.

The other one quoted: “Ni, sirf sanitizer or masks kharida ha baqi kuch ni.”

Spending

Covid’19 lockdown really reduced the purchasing power of people. Consumers were not prone
to buy items other than the basic and necessary goods like grocery, irrespective of
socioeconomic class due to decrease in their income levels One of our interviewees said “Ni ni
kuch bhi ni liya ek tu zaroorat ni thi aur doosra hath bhi tang tha bas aram se ghar hi bethe
rahen.”

The other interviewee from SEC B household also quoted: “Lockdown jab se hua koi shopping he ni
ki, 1 to income khatam hogaya hta upper se markets b band tha. “

“Han fruits wager ape kharcha kam kia covid k baad”

Job Termination

During lockdown most of the companies laid off the employees to cut the expenses. Our
interviewees from the SEC B lost their jobs. They quoted that: Humari job chali gayi thi tu
household income 0 ho chukki bus savings se kaam chala rahe the”.

Social Media Engagement

Social media engagement among SEC A and SEC B households increased. As the
interviewees quote that:

·      “ lockdown aaya farig thay toh ziyada usage ho gai”

“Daily 3 gante or lockdown k doran 3-4 gante, 1 ganta bad gaya hoga”

Post Covid:

Inflation after lockdown

Covid’19 affected the Pakistan economy which led to the rising inflation rate. Which really
affected the lower class specially as one of our interviewee quoted that “ . Lockdown mein bhut
mhengai hoye he or lockdown ke baad bhi mehngai he tu kharcha bar gya he. Ab dekhein jo
cheez phele 1500 ki mil rahi thi wo cheez 2000 mein milene lagi.”

More conscious spending after lockdown

After the lockdown consumers became more conscious in their spending pattern as our
interviewees quoted that:

“Ji bilkul janab abhi ghar ka kharcha thora sakht tareeke manage karna hota he jese ke abhi sirf
shakar lete hein cheeni ka istamal chor diya he. Pyazz mehenge hote tu dahi ka istmall kiya
karte the sabzi mein. Bas ye he k cover kr lete hein agar insaan karne pe ayae.”

“Ni, asi koi change ni ayi thi lekn han shopping me thodi kami ayi q ki jab pehle mere pas paisa tha to ma
ziada shopping karta tha , paisa kam hogaye to ma ne shopping khatam ki, boht khatam kar di”

E-commerce Spending

As consumers were in homes during lockdown period their spending increased on E-commerce
shopping especially SEC A class. Now consumers seem it more convenience than conventional
method of shopping. Our interviewee from SEC A household said: “pehle toh hume zaroorat hi
nai parti thi na online mangwana saari cheezon ki toh jab covid nai tha toh hamare paas buyers
and sellers aapas mai direct hi sabke saath mulaqat hoti thi”