Single brand MNC retail players pick up pace in India

Action has picked up in the single-brand space in the past month. At least three international companies — Italy’s Officina Farmaceutica Italiana, Thailand’s Lotus Arts de Vivre and French company Decathlon Sports — sent their proposals for India foray during this period. After vetting by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) is expected to consider them. Since January 2012 when the government notified 100 per cent FDI in single brand retail up from 51 per cent earlier, nine proposals have come in. Of these, Swedish furniture major IKEA, UK-based footwear company Pavers and US’s fashion brand Fossil sought to come on their own with 100 per cent FDI. This development would definitely be a new sunshine opportunity for the signage companies whose activities involve in in-store displays, branding, designs, etc.