‘Retail sector shows strong rebound post-COVID pandemic’

In this episode of the“State of the Economy podcast, Abhishek Law talks to Pushpa Bector, Senior Executive Director, DLF Retail on the retail sector’s recovery post-COVID.She highlights the strong rebound in retail sales, with luxury, Indian designers, athletic leisure, and food and beverage segments performing exceptionally well. Vector discusses how the pandemic has shifted consumer behavior, with a preference for physical shopping experiences despite the rise of online retail. She also emphasizes the importance of curating programmable spaces and creating unique experiences within malls.Additionally, Vector addresses rental rates, noting that DLF has been able to command higher rentals due to increased sales potential. She explores the potential for expansion beyond Delhi NCR and the need to generate sales to drive rental growth in new markets.Vector also discusses the growing trend of omnichannel retail, where consumers discover products digitally but choose to shop physically for a more authentic experience. Overall, the podcast provides valuable insights into the state of the retail sector and emerging trends.(Host: Abhishek Law; Producer: Jayapriyanka J)______________________About the State of the Economy podcastIndia’s economy has been hailed as a bright spot amid the general gloom that seems to have enveloped the rest of the world. But several sectors continue to stutter even as others seem set to fire on all cylinders. To help you make sense of the bundle of contradictions that the country is, businessline brings you podcasts with experts ranging from finance and marketing to technology and start-ups.