NE BUSINESS BUREAU
NEW DELHI, JUNE 2
The apex body of Indian retailers, Retailers Association of India, on Monday lauded the government’s guidelines allowing the opening of various formats of retail but reiterated the need for the uniform reopening of these stores across India.
The Ministry of Home Affairs directive has allowed states to open retail stores as per their own independent guidelines. This has led to multiple interpretations and rules that have inconvenienced customers and retailers, while continuing to severely impact demand and sales.
The problem has been compounded by the change in the definition of stores. Large standalone stores are considered malls in Gujarat, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Assam while states like Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu have prohibited stores from operating air-conditioners inside stores.
Emphasising the need for clarity and uniformity in policy, Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO, Retailers Association of India, said: “Retailers Association of India welcomes the Unlock 1.0 order by the MHA which allows opening up of malls and all categories of retail. The retail industry employs about 46 million people, and it is important to keep it functioning smoothly, as before. Business is floundering, millions of jobs are at stake and we need a policy framework that allows for the non-discriminatory reopening of retail and time-bound resolution of fiscal and legal matters.”
“For instance, Maharashtra, Delhi, and Tamil Nadu have decided not to allow shopping malls to open from 8th June. Furthermore, Tamil Nadu has ordered shops to function without air-conditioners. Maharashtra has introduced an odd-even system for opening, additionally imposing restrictions on the use of trial rooms and the exchange of products. For the retail machinery to function seamlessly and in line with recent orders, uniform and non-discriminatory opening of retail across all states are key,” Rajagoplan added.
He said the SOPs could also include guidelines for air-conditioning or for maintaining the temperatures within stores at levels that ensure the comfort of the staff and the customers while also maintaining freshness and hygiene of products.
