HUL expects lockdown to accelerate technology adoption in distribution channel

FMCG major HUL expects technology adoption in distribution channel, including neighbourhood stores besides e-commerce, to speed up as a result of consumers' experience during the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Hindustan Unilever (HUL) CMD Sanjiv Mehta, the company will be ready to serve its consumers through any channel that they would prefer to shop, be it big format stores, kirana stores or online.

"Different channels have different shopping missions. People go to a big format store on certain occasion, they go to a neighbourhood store on certain occasion but yes this crisis will habituate and I believe that it would give a fillip to e-commerce, there is no question about that," he said in a conference call on the company's quarterly earnings on Thursday.

Mehta further said, "It would also give a fillip, whether it is a big store or a neighbourhood store, to adopt technology and serve consumer better. I believe that from a perspective of a distribution channel, this is certainly a moment where adoption of technology would speed up."