Fruitless quest

Reliance Fresh's service needs a fresh look.

Organised retail was supposed to make life easier and better for the consumer. But just a few years since the creation of this segment, that dream is increasingly looking like a pipe dream. I decide to visit the Punjabi Bagh outlet of Reliance Fresh in New Delhi at about 10.30 on a Thursday morning. The first obstacle to entering the store are the nine steep steps that one needs to negotiate. The steps seem to be a test of fitness and anyone with even the slightest handicap would struggle to reach the doors to this temple of modern consumerism.

When I enter, three employees crowd the door chatting in a near-empty store. I start browsing, only to find that the trolleys are placed inconveniently behind the check-out counter. I have to ask one of the sales staff to retrieve one for me.

If you have ever been to a sabzi mandi or bought vegetables from a handcart, you will not be able to shop at Reliance Fresh. The vegetables look less than fresh. A stack of cauliflowers are in a dismal state. And, obviously, Reliance Fresh doesn’t believe in offering its customers the full range of fruits and vegetables that are available.

Nonetheless, I stack up some vegetables on my cart and quickly reach the check-out counter. The speed with which I finish has nothing to do with my reluctance to shop, and everything to do with the size of this outlet. It’s tiny.

The check-out counter is where I finally realise the futility of shopping at Reliance Fresh. I tell the clerk that I don’t have a carry bag. He says that neither do they, and that the staff normally helps load the shopping into your car. I point out to this smiling gent that even small kirana stores now offer some environmentally friendly shopping bags. He agrees, and says he is aware of this because he himself shops elsewhere.

I stand my ground, he stands his, until he offers a solution in the shape of a paper bag, which he says I will be billed Rs 7 for. But no store charges for providing shopping bags, I say. He again agrees with me, but says that this is the policy of the store.

What could be the revenue generated from charging Rs 7 from customers for a carry bag? Will organised retail now start charging entry ticket for entering an outlet? Creative revenue streams rather than flawless service, fair trade practices and a good choice of products seems to be the mantra. I leave without buying anything. The check-out clerk shrugs as I flounce out empty-handed.

Score: 3/10. Everything is a deal- breaker at Reliance Fresh

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