Large-format retailers, both online and offline, have once again approached the government to include items such as cooking utensils, small home appliances, electronics and other accessories in its list of essential goods that should be allowed to be sold during the ongoing lockdown.
In a meeting yesterday with the government’s empowered group for supply chain and logistics chaired by Parameswaran Iyer, Secretary of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, companies including Flipkart, Snapdeal, Metro Cash and Carry, Spencers among others urged the government to expand its list of essential items.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has already allowed for the movement of all kinds of goods, not just essential goods, so it’s no longer an issue to deliver these to customers. We understand the government’s apprehension in allowing sale of these items, but they need to understand that there’s no demand for anything other than essentials from consumers right now,” a person who attended the meeting said requesting anonymity.
Online marketplaces have been lobbying to expand the scope of essential products that can be sold after the lockdown was implemented on March 25. E-commerce companies such as Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal through industry bodies had asked for inclusion of ‘work-from-home essentials’ that included some electronic products such as routers and chargers.
While the MHA did update its list of essential items with subsequent notifications to specifically include items such as hand washes, soaps, disinfectants, surface cleaners, sanitary pads, diapers, chargers, and more, retailers want a more liberal policy than this based on user demand.
“Even when we met with Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, he agreed that we should trust consumers at this point of time because no one is going to be ordering a 65-inch television right now. If someone is ordering a phone or a laptop, it might be because of a genuine need like for work or their child’s education needs,” said another person who is part of the ongoing discussions.
While there have been efforts on this front and agreement from various departments and ministries of the government, the MHA is yet to notify any such move.
Leave a Reply