Criticising the recently published Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) report on the ‘impact of big retail on neighbourhood stores’, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has said that the findings do not reflect the ground realities of Indian trade.
The CAIT lambasted ICRIER for being biased, and said, “The alarming rise of corporate retail will be at the cost of millions of people employed in the unorganised retail sector.” According to Praveen Khandelwal, secretary general, CAIT, “Corporate retailers must not be allowed to sell fruits, vegetables and groceries.”
Besides, Dharmendra Kumar, director, India FDI Watch, said, “The research is short-sighted and “does not take into account the long-term impact on farmers, manufacturers and consumers. It also does not study the social, cultural and environmental impact of organised retail in the country.”
