Customers buy vegetables at a Reliance Fresh outlet in Tharpakna. Picture by Prashant Mitra

Ranchi, May 13: Krishnendu Sen, a bank employee, was strolling out of Reliance Fresh’s Circular Road outlet with two full polybags of vegetables and grocery items. It was just another day for Sen, a regular at the shop.

“The vendors have set a wrong precedence. There was no reason to express resentment against the Reliance outlets. The rate and weight at these shops are the benchmark. I would prefer buying daily household items from Reliance Fresh,” said the banker, a resident of Burdwan Compound.

There was a mixed response among the buyers over yesterday’s attack on Reliance Fresh.

While some have extended their sympathies to the vendors, others admitted that in a competitive market experimenting with new ideas, especially in the vegetable segment, should be taken in a positive way.

Undeterred by yesterday’s vandalism, for Reliance Fresh it was business as usual today, as it opened three of its four outlets in the city.

Indrani Bhattacharya, a working woman, felt that in a competitive market, “Every one has the right to venture into new projects. The start of the Reliance chain is great, as it brings a bit of the metro flavour here, too,” she added.

However, her sympathies were with the vendors, too. “I agree that their business is suffering, but their approach to solve the problem was wrong. In fact, a meeting should have been called upon to sort out the matter. The matter should not be politicised,” she added.

“I buy my vegetables from a fixed vendor. Once she told me that she earns about Rs 1,000 per month to run her house. If I stop buying from her, where will she go?” asked another resident of Burdwan Compound Anju Srivastava.

Sipra Sahay, a resident of Tharpakna, however, clearly had her mind set on Reliance Fresh. “It is a boon for me. I can buy the right amount of vegetables, based on my family’s needs, without any hassle. Roadside vendors often cheat customers and charge according to their whims,” she said.

A local youth said: “Ultimately, Reliance got a clear coverage in all the newspapers. The vendors took a wrong approach. They have done a free publicity for the company. Now all the Reliance outlets are popular,” he said.

Ritu Singh, a resident of Kanke Road, said: “The reaction of the vendors was natural. But we must keep in mind that it is their bread and butter. I think, buying vegetables from Kanke Haat is much cheaper than those sold in Reliance outlet,” Singh felt.

Supporting local vendors, R.P. Basu, a resident of Bariatu Housing Colony, said the total cost incurred in purchasing the vegetables from middlemen need to be managed.

Another group expressed that some anti-social elements managed yesterday’s show in the name of vegetable vendors. “The innocent vendors should not be blamed,” they said.

“We would always extend support to small grocery and vegetable shops as for day to day items we ought to depend on them. Moreover, it is not vegetable farmers who are getting benefited through them but the middlemen. Reliance should focus more in purchasing locally-produced vegetables and fruits,” said Suresh Dokania of Upper Bazaar area.