The Indian retail industry had faced many hurdles last year due to the pandemic-led lockdowns and localized restrictions. As the number of COVID-19 cases surge and the pandemic takes a new turn with the second wave in the country, the retail industry is beginning to see similar issues repeating in some form that were faced last year with varied localized restrictions across states.
Retailers Association of India (RAI) believes that there is a need for a coordinated effort at handling the second wave of the pandemic rather than creating diverse restrictions at the local levels like the local weekend lockdowns, shutdown at 8:00 pm, arbitrary testing inside malls, among others.
Speaking about the concerns faced by the retail industry, Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO of, Retailers Association of India (RAI), said, “RAI has been highlighting the fact that formal retail spaces, especially shopping centers are controlled spaces and have SOPs in place. They have got the ability to adhere to hygiene standards and can definitely ensure social distancing, as compared to local markets. The government could also consider these places to be used to vaccinate citizens and speed up the inoculation drive. However, as soon as pandemic seems to surge, a new wave of restrictions seem to apply to these places first, which beats the logic in our mind. These extemporized restrictions are creating setbacks for retailers as the already stressed retail businesses are getting further interrupted and in turn dampening consumer sentiment.”
India will always be a consumption Economy, and strain on the retail industry cripples the entire value chain, which involves manufacturing, entertainment, right down to artisans and other micro-enterprises, leading to layoffs and downscaling or even shutting down operations widely.
Esta historia es de la edición April 2021 de Images Retail.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición April 2021 de Images Retail.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Retail Sector Records Strongest Hi Leasing in 5 years: CBRE
Leasing in Bengaluru, Chennai, and Delhi-NCR accounted for 59% share during Jan-June 2024.
Lulu Mall Bengaluru Welcomes 5 New Brands
Lulu Mall, Bengaluru, operated by the multinational developer Lulu Group, has expanded its portfolio by welcoming five new retail brands, the company wrote on social media.
Gujarat gets its First IMAX at Palladium Ahmedabad
Mumbai-based PVR Cinemas opened a new theatre at Palladium Ahmedabad, a social media post by a company official.
Budget 2024-2025: What's in it for Retail?
An overview of all the retail ecosystem-related measures in the Budget 2024-2025 revealed by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her 7th budget speech.
Identity As a Service (IDAAS) Simplified
An explainer on Identity and Access Management-As-A-Service (IDaaS) in the context of retail.
6 Ways in Which D2C Brands are Redefining Physical Stores
From quirky fixtures to restageable elements, D2C brands do it differently when they open brick-and-mortar stores
What Innovation Means for Different Leaders
A look at how representatives of different retail categories define innovation and how they approach and implement it in their businesses.
Elevating Experience Through Omnichannel Retail Strategies
Here's how retailers are blending online and offline to offer seamless and personalised customer experience.
How to Improve Customer Engagement with Generative AI
Ways in which retail businesses can embrace generative AI to create hyper-personalised, seamless conversations to secure a lasting competitive edge in the marketplace.
'Customers Do Not See Shoppers Stop.com as Just Another e-commerce Site'
Sreekanth Chetlur, Chief e-commerce Officer, Shoppers Stop speaks about the three-decadeold physical-first department store chain's e-commerce journey, goals and strategies