Bengalis are well-known for their love of food, especially during the winter season, which is celebrated in a unique way. Unlike simply seeking comfort under blankets, winter holds a special significance in Bengali culture. The warmth of a grandmother’s shawl, along with traditional delicacies like pitha puli and pati sapta made with date palm jaggery, offers a deep sense of satisfaction, delighting the senses with their rich flavours.
The celebration of winter is further highlighted by Christmas, often seen as a picnic day for Bengalis. However, while we enjoy the festivities, we often overlook those who contribute to our celebrations, the vendors who provide the ingredients that bring Grandma's recipes to life. In today's fast-paced world, where deliveries can arrive in just ten minutes, shop owners are feeling the pressure. Traditional Christmas items like plum cakes, fruit cakes, and other special treats, which once brought us joy, have now become mere showpieces in stores.
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Many shop owners are facing significant financial losses and are uncertain about how to manage their stock. How are they coping this Christmas? News Ei Samay went out to check.
Shop owners are counting time only
Sanjoy Sinha, who has owned a shop for nearly 25 years near Jadavpur railway station, expressed his concern, saying that the loss has become so high that it will not cover the minimal expenses. Even on this special day, we find ourselves pausing to reconsider what should go on our lunch menu before we begin preparing it. He brought winter special cakes to his store and also tried giving a discount on them to recover the buying expense, but failed. He said, “Everyone is buying online; no one really values us anymore. Earning Rs 300 a day has become tough nowadays.”
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Adding to that, he said, people are now buying things with much more concern; no one is interested in buying a product that will not last. He said, “These things have become common over the last five to seven years, after the covid and demonetization, all the aspects have changed.”
When we went to other shop owners, no one even wanted to reply, saying, “I’m not in a good state of mind. I don’t feel like talking right now.” And many expressed their disgust, saying the market condition is weak.
When we went to ask the gig workers about how they are doing today, Rathin Halder, a zepto delivery partner, stated he logged in at 8 am and delivered to 16 houses by noon, which is exceptional. He even claimed that everything he delivered was something related to Christmas.
It clearly shows the picture of how the dynamics have changed in a few years, the consumer habit has changed, and the shop owners who formed a legacy for two decades have vanished without an alarm made the situation worse than ever.
