People happy with govt's Covid-19 pandemic battle, but retail lags

Despite a faltering economy and subdued business activities, households seem satisfied with the central and state governments’ efforts in handling the Covid-19 crises, findings from a slew of recent surveys show.

The Retailers Business Survey, conducted in July by the Retailers Association of India (RAI), shows the fourth-largest global market is still seeing 63 per cent contraction in offtake, compared to pre-Covid levels. While the extent of losses decreased steadily since April, all major sectors like furnishing, jewellery, watches, apparel, footwear, and personal care were down by over 65 percent.

Overall, the western parts of the country suffered the most,