Retail sales in India declined 79 percent in May compared with pre-COVID sales in the same month in 2019, as businesses across States were closed due to the second wave of the pandemic, a survey by Retailers Association of India (RAI) showed. The falls in sales was the steepest in West and North India, which seen an 83 percent slip last month as compared to May 2019, RAI said in a statement.

The Eastern region saw a decline of 75 percent, while South was relatively better with a contraction of 73 percent as compared to the same month in 2019. On a sequential basis, the decline in May was much steeper compared to the previous month, when overall sales across India were down 49 percent as compared with April 2019, the survey indicated.

“Retailers are looking forward to some improvement in June with gradual unlocking. However, the industry needs the collective support of various government bodies to tide over the present situation,” RAI CEO Kumar Rajagopalan said.

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