Covid-19 forces retailers to reassess volume-driven business strategy

Crowd management policy critical; associations turn to government

Social distancing will now acquire significant importance in the retail manuals of all companies, said apex industry bodies on Monday, implying the focus will move away from a ‘volume-driven business strategy’ that has underpinned organised retail for over two decades now.

The industry bodies including the Retailers Association of India (RAI), Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI) and National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) had come together in a virtual conference to discuss the way forward for retail in the aftermath of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

From getting footfalls into stores and ensuring maximum sales per square foot, the emphasis