Written by, July 5 -- Monalisa Changkija

Time was when shopping was a totally different experience-it was a person-to-person connect, forming lifelong bonds and friendships. Since then, a lot has changed, especially technology, making shopping indubitably convenient but deteriorating people-to-people connections and increasing alienation, especially after COVID-19. While it was imperative then to practise social distancing, unfortunately, that has also changed the shopping experience.

Shopping for any personal or household requirement was a day out for socializing in a different way for a vast majority of people. Markets have always been not only hubs for trade and commerce but also family outing destinations and platforms for social bo...