SHOP ONLINE FOR SWEETS, DECOR: RETAILERS

Diwali celebrations will not be complete without oodles of sweets, dry fruits, and savoury snacks. This year, sweet shop vendors are encouraging the community to purchase boxes of mithai (Indian sweets) online to minimise physical contact amid Covid-19.

Major sweet vendors, such as Chappan Bhog and Bikanervala, have signed up with grocery aggregators and set up their own e-shopping portals.

Diwali is a busy time for sweet shops, with halwais (confectioners) producing anything between 4,000 and 7,000kg of sweets during the festive season.

Gaurav Verma, CEO of Chappan Bhog’s parent company The Royal

Orchard Group of Restaurants, said their in-store shoppers could also choose their sweets from the comfort of their cars; scan a QR code; and have their orders delivered to them.

Pankaj Agarwal, the director of Bikanervala, said: “We are pushing our customers to go online. We’ve had the service for a while. However, it got a lot more active during the pandemic.”

Avoid last-minute rush

Retailers have also advised residents to complete their shopping in advance to avoid last-minute rush. They have also ensured that all popular Diwali products are available on their e-commerce platforms.

Kamal Vachani, group director of Al Maya Group, said: “Since the community cannot meet that much, we are expecting that people will want to decorate their homes at least.”

Among the popular items during this time are dark chocolates, dates, dried fruits and nuts, pure Indian sweets made from clarified butter, decorative items such as toran, lamps, Rangoli, and all kinds of festive lights, said Vachani.

“For those who wish to shop instore, they must wear masks and gloves before entering the stores. Strict social distancing norms will be practised,” he added.