Reliance Retail, Tata Croma and others go for outlet expansion despite raging COVID

The second COVID wave, which has been a new impact on market, is not stopping the retail expansion plans of India’s top retailers. Reliance Retail, Tata-owned Croma, Levi’s, Spencer’s Retail, Nature’s Basket, Trent, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail (ABFRL), and Starbucks are going ahead with their expansion plans and signing up new properties.

Reliance Retail plans to open 6,500-7,000 outlets, almost double its previous highest number in FY19. ABFRL plans to add 300-400 stores, Trent may open 25 Westside stores and almost 70 Zudio stores while V-Mart may add about 50 stores this year. Signage players which handle in-store projects may now pull up their socks to tap their new business opportunity erupting in the retail sector.