Thiruvananthapuram, 6 April. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has called upon the Central Government to take immediate and strict action against the alleged unfair trade practices of some e-commerce and quick commerce companies. The organization has warned that these activities are seriously disrupting India’s retail trade ecosystem. In a memorandum submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this organization of traders has mentioned the growing concerns over uncontrolled business models, especially among foreign investment-backed firms.
CAIT national president BC Bhartia, national general secretary and MP Praveen Khandelwal, national secretary SS Manoj and national working committee member P Venkatarama Iyer in a joint statement alleged that practices like market distorting prices, deep discounts, dark patterns and indirect inventory control under the marketplace model are anti-competitive. He termed preferential treatment to select sellers and aggressive expansion of ‘dark stores’ as major threats to small and medium traders.
CAIT noted that more than nine crore traders are the backbone of India’s supply chain and employment sector. “Allowing such practices to continue unchecked could undermine India’s economic sovereignty,” the leaders said. They stressed the need for a level playing field between offline and online business to ensure balanced and sustainable growth.
The organization demanded immediate finalization of the National E-Commerce Policy along with strict legal provisions and strong enforcement mechanism to curb unfair trade practices and protect domestic businesses. CAT also urged the creation of a National Retail Development Council, which would have formal representation of the business community in policy making. “A participatory approach is important when formulating trade policies. This will ensure that the concerns of traders are adequately reflected in the policies,” the statement said, adding that a strong retail sector is vital for a resilient Indian economy.
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