Government Leans on Quick Commerce for Real-Time Price Checks

Government Leans on Quick Commerce for Real-Time Price Checks

The government is relying heavily on quick commerce platforms to conduct real-time price monitoring and ensure that the benefits of the recent GST rate cuts are quickly and fully passed on to consumers.

How Quick Commerce Platforms Are Used

• Real-Time Data Access: Quick commerce platforms, unlike traditional retail channels, offer continuous, real-time data on the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) and final selling prices of thousands of SKUs (Stock Keeping Units). This provides tax authorities with an immediate digital snapshot of price changes post-tax reduction.
• Targeting Anti-Profiteering: This data is crucial for the government to swiftly identify instances where manufacturers or sellers may be failing to reduce prices, thereby engaging in anti-profiteering. By comparing pre-GST cut and post-GST cut prices on these platforms, authorities can quickly flag discrepancies.
• Efficiency and Speed: Utilizing quick commerce platforms offers a faster and more efficient alternative to traditional physical market checks, allowing enforcement actions to be initiated much quicker against non-compliant entities.

Context of the Move

This strategy is part of the broader government effort to ensure the GST 2.0 reforms translate into tangible price relief for the common public, especially on daily-use consumer goods.