Sugar caps hit shoppers pre-Rakhi buy
Major retailers and online grocery platforms, such as DMart and Reliance, have implemented sugar caps to control customer purchases ahead of Raksha Bandhan, a festival that typically sees a surge in household sugar demand. The caps, ranging from two to three kilograms per customer, aim to ration supplies amid tightening stock levels.
Quick commerce platforms Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and Zepto have also restricted sugar purchases to two to three packs per person across various brands. According to Crisil Intelligence, closing stock for the 2026 sugar season is at 3.9 million metric tonnes, 25% lower than last year and 40% below the five-year average. This shortage has led to a surge in sugar prices, with the retail price reaching Rs 63 per kg, a 29% increase from the previous month.
The government has approved imports of 10 lakh tonnes of raw sugar to alleviate the supply crunch, but prices are expected to continue rising through August and September, hitting around a 7% increase.
Written by urgent.news from The Economic Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
