Kirana stores are emerging as the hub that helps maintain regular supply of essentials as cities struggle to get back to their normal rhythm and many such neighbourhood stores are considering greater technology adoption, according to a report.
The report is based on a survey by consultancy firm EY that gathered insights through 27 qualitative interviews across 12 cities in India, 5 metros and 7 non-metros with participants who represent small and big kirana across a diverse socio-economic background.
Stating that there is a renewed trust in hyper-local communities, EY’s latest report ‘Sentiments of India – Pulse of the country, Kiranas’ said 40 per cent of respondents (kirana store owners) want to partner with online delivery and supply platforms as they feel it can help them grow and tide over in these testing times.
Commenting on the findings, EY India Partner - Customer Experience and Design Thinking, Shashank Shwet said, “amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, the kirana stores have emerged as local unsung heroes servicing the community at large. The kirana store owners have taken a lot of effort to keep up with the changing demands of the crisis and managing their day-to-day supplies.”
Moreover, he said, “the way that these kirana store owners have adopted to innovation and digital technologies, such as digital payments, changing operating models and reduced friction towards technology, to cope up with the pandemic is highly commendable.“