Introduce a new policy for local retailers, urges GCCI

Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has urged the state government to introduce a new policy to protect the interests of local retailers and streamline the sector’s functioning in Goa.

Local traders in the state find it difficult to comply with the various rules introduced by the Department of Legal Metrology, says Manoj Caculo, Former President, GCCI and Chairman and Managing Director, Caculo Group of Companies. This often leads to small businesses and retailers often bearing the brunt of lapses by the manufacturing companies, he adds.

Already under pressure from the e-commerce industry, Goa’s retail sector is further challenged by the ever-increasing regulatory compliances, notes GCCI. Around 85 per cent of the state’s retail sector is unorganised and government needs to introduce a simplified single-window system for retailers, the organisation adds.

To train and equip Goa’s smaller brick-and-mortar stores with the tools required to compete with larger e-commerce companies, GCCI plans to collaborate with the Retailers Association of India (RAI) in the state. The collaboration will enable GCCI to empower small mom-and-pop shops to compete with the bigger players, adds Caculo.

According to Hari Kaul, Chairman-Retail Committee, GCCI, having about 20,000 to 25,000 retailers and wholesale traders, the retail sector in Goa is largely unorganised. There is not a single source of information for mid-size or a small retailers to know about the changing compliances, he adds.