April 14, 2020
With shops and kiosks completely shut in the COVID-19 ridden hotspots, almost all e-commerce deliveries have been stopped in those areas. The Police and municipal authorities have completely sealed the areas, FMCG companies said they are facing hindrance moving trucks through such localities to other places.
Supplies, sales and movement of consumers have come to a grinding halt in places identified as Covid-19 hotspots, though the overall supply situation has improved a little bit in non-danger zones.
“In the hotspots, there is no difference between essentials and non-essentials since the risk of infection is high and authorities have a bigger issue in handling that,” said Mayank Shah, category head at Parle Products.
Even delivery of milk is a problem within the two hours window which the authorities are allowing in some hotspots. “We have roped in all our ice-cream distributors to supply milk so that we have enough manpower,” said R.S. Sodhi, MD, Gujarat Milk Marketing Federation (Amul).
Online platforms like Grofers have limited the deliveries in areas identified as red zones. “However, we will be working with the local authorities to provide essentials in these containment zones in case they provide us with drop off points for deliveries later,” Grofers founder Saurabh Kumar said.
Food and grocery retailer ‘More’ has closed 50 of its stores. It’s a scene of total curfew as the entire operations are shut in hotspots. “The supply chain to other stores is not impacted as of now since the trucks have taken alternative routes” said the company’s DMD Mohit Kampani.
The situation is also being reviewed by ITC day upon day to respond to emerging circumstances, since several of ITC products are listed as essential commodities, it is working carefully with local administrations to reach markets and consumers taking every precaution and following strict safety protocols all the way through.
Practically all Indian states have identified some Covid-19 hotspots in their cities and districts where there are several cases of COVID-19 positive and high chances of wide spread.
GET PREPARED FOR LOCKDOWN PHASE II
As per FMCG companies, the industries should be prepared for the next phase of lockdown. While it has been declared that the lockdown is extended by at least next two weeks, there are clear indication from government that restrictions is stressed more for citizen movement, while the industry will receive some respite.
“The teething issues in first phase of lockdown are solved, and capacity is up from 10% to 25-30%,” Parle’s Shah said. “So, product availability will improve now,” he said.
Few companies have received direction from the Central govt that there should be no labour movement to come to factories and hence they are making arrangements for workers to stay within the premises of the factory complex.
“At local level, there is a dramatic improvement with clear communication between us and local administration, especially police, municipalities and state administration,” More’s Kampani said.