CorporateSales not impacted by swine flu so far: Aditya Birla Retail
As a precautionary step against swine flu, Aditya Birla Retail has provided its employees with masks to be worn in stores and is making sure they get treated even for a mild disorder.
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"All employees in our office (headquarters) here and at our "more..." stores have been provided with face masks and hand-sanitizers. We are quarantining the sick ones and making sure they get treated even if it is a mild fever," Aditya Birla Retail CEO Thomas Varghese told PTI here today.
Around 700 personnel work in the company"s headquarters in suburban Mumbai.
The value-chain retailer currently operates 49 supermarkets in Mumbai and 32 in Pune, the city worst hit by the pandemic in the country.
"Surprisingly, we have seen good footfalls in the last 3-4 days even in Pune. Foodstuffs are unlikely to take a major hit as these are essentials," Varghese said.
He said sales would not be negatively impacted in case people reduce frequenting malls as most stores are on high- streets.
Future Group CEO Kishore Biyani said his company has temporarily shut down one of its outlets in Pune, while sales in Mumbai have also been affected. "Sales in Mumbai are down by 6-8 per cent, while in Pune they are down by around 20 per cent," he told private channel CNBC TV 18.