Retail boom in Nashik augurs well for supermarkets

The emerging shopping culture in Nashik has set the cash registers ringing for the city's retail supermarkets. Sales at the supermarkets have increased six fold in the last two years. The average footfall too has increased four times compared with the last fiscal.

At present, there are seven supermarkets and a retail hypermarket Big Bazar in the city. In 2003-04, the combined sales of city's supermarkets was Rs 5.48 crore. This increased to Rs 31.23 crore in 2004-05. Out of Rs 31.23 crore, Big Bazaar alone recorded sales worth Rs 25 crore.

Total investment (excluding real estate cost) in the Big Bazaar is around Rs 7.5 crore while investments of around Rs 2.15 crore were done in other supermarkets said market sources.

The average number of consumers shopping daily in hypermarket-supermarkets has increased from 1,220 to 4,710 in the last two years. The footfall at Big Bazaar is around 3,500 people.

The Big Bazaar provides shoppers with 30,000 sq ft of shopping experience in the two-level store in an all air-conditioned environment and have a whole range of products for every household need.

A total of 60,000 are available in all segment - women and men's apparel, accessories such as belts and bags, cosmetics, gold jewellery, kids wear, stationery and toys, footwear, plastics, utensils and home appliances, gifts, food and grocery items - are available here under one roof at marginal rates (Below MRP).

By June 06, around 30,000 sqft of retail space will be made available at the second proposed retail outlet of Pantloon Retail in Cidco area of the city, sources said.