Budget Expectations: Shoppers Stop demands GST rollout

By Govind Shrikhande, Customer Care Associate & Managing Director, Shoppers Stop 

Given the current economic scenario, we expect strong measures & economy boosters from the Union Budget to restore confidence and spur growth. The implementation of nationwide GST will help in simplifying the entire tax structure, thereby cutting business costs and helping to generate more revenues. It would be a win-win situation for both customers & retailers.

In the last Budget, the introduction of Excise Duty on Branded Apparels has led to a huge drop in demand; hence we would expect an Exemption / Reduction in excise duty on Branded Apparel. This along with a cutback in Service Tax on Rent will serve as a fillip to the retail sector. And finally, we hope Direct Tax Code (DTC) sees the light of day very soon since more money in the customer