Retails sales near pre-COVID levels with 96 per cent recovery: RAI

Retail sales in September this year were at 96 percent of the pre-pandemic levels of the same month in 2019 as the sector shows signs of recovery, the Retailers Association of India (RAI) said on Wednesday.

As compared to September 2020, there was a 26 percent growth in sales last month, led by strong growth in South India at 33 percent, followed by East at 30 percent, and 26 percent in West. North India also registered a growth of 16 percent, according to RAI's Business Survey- Round 20.

''Retail businesses across regions are nearing recovery indicating consumer sentiments are positive across the country,'' RAI said in a statement.

Category-wise, consumer durables and electronics; food and groceries, and quick service restaurants (QSR) have fully recovered and are indicating double-digit growth on pre-pandemic levels, it added.

''Sports goods and apparel, and clothing have also started to pick up pace as socializing and offices resume and some level of normalcy returns,'' RAI said, however, adding categories such as beauty and wellness which include salons, footwear, and jewellery are yet to catch up to the pre-pandemic levels of sales.

Commenting on the development, RAI Chief Executive Officer Kumar Rajagopalan said the Retail sector has started showing signs of recovery with businesses indicating sales that are almost equal to the pre-pandemic levels.

''With consumer sentiments looking up, Dussehra and Diwali could well be the turnaround time for retail businesses, provided there is no third wave of the pandemic,'' he added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)