How hyper-local consumption is driving change in brand-retail landscape

With the clamour for convenience and support for local brands on the rise, consumers, kirana stores, and brands are redrawing the terms of engagement

Home-bound consumers are driving an overhaul of the brand-retail landscape, one that is likely to deeply impact the entire purchase ecosystem well beyond the pandemic. Convenience, support for local brands and a new lifestyle are driving change, rattling age-old supply networks and forcing the traditional neighbourhood store—the kirana or local all-in-one grocery stop—to rethink operations and relationships, with consumers and brands. 

According to a report released late last month by EY (Sentiments of India – pulse of the country, Kiranas; Humans in a pandemic series), the post-pandemic relationship between brands and consumers will be mapped to a hyper-local trail that