Online shopping won't sound the death knell for mom and pop stores

During the lockdown and restricted movement, a lot of people relied substantially on supermarkets and online retailers. This created an impression that small grocery stores may shut down or suffer huge losses.

I somewhat disagree. Small grocery shops render valuable services and offer convenience. Many provide home delivery, with no minimum charge. Some of them even provide credit, and enjoy a cordial relationship with regular customers.

Yes, supermarkets and online shopping portals offer a huge range of products, but the small mom-and-pop shops offer a different, unique experience. In India, millions of grocery shops in towns and villages supplied essentials to customers. This is a great tribute to the trade. Small groceries are unlikely to go out of business anytime soon.  

- Rajendra Aneja, Mumbai