Thu May 22 18:01:24 UTC 2025: **Headline: Quick Commerce Threatens India’s Beloved Kirana Stores**

**New Delhi, May 22, 2025** – India’s traditional neighborhood kirana stores, a cornerstone of daily life for generations, are facing an existential threat from the rise of quick commerce platforms like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart. These platforms, offering delivery in as little as 10 minutes, are drawing customers away from local shops with deep discounts and unparalleled convenience, leaving many kirana owners struggling to compete.

A recent report highlights the challenges faced by kirana store owners across India. While some, like Vineet Kumar in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar, remain optimistic, others are feeling the pinch. Anuradha Taneja, also in Malviya Nagar, reports a 30% drop in business. Naresh Raghuvanshi in Bhopal has seen his business decline by 30-35% in the past two years, blaming the inability to match online prices and offers.

Kirana stores, typically family-run businesses operating on thin margins, are struggling to keep up with the deep pockets of foreign-funded e-commerce giants. Praveen Khandelwal, MP and Secretary General of the Confederation of All India Traders, argues that these platforms are circumventing foreign direct investment rules to offer unsustainable discounts.

While some kirana owners are adapting by offering delivery and credit, others are diversifying their offerings. However, the long-term viability of these traditional stores remains uncertain. Experts suggest that the impact may be less severe in tier-2 and tier-3 cities for now, but the continued dominance of quick commerce platforms could eventually lead to the disappearance of local stores altogether. Government support is deemed critical to protecting these vital small businesses.

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