Cash and Carry format facing the brunt of the protests

The retail battle has intensified in the the cash and carry format. Anti-FDI organizations have started protesting that international retail chains are using the cash and carry route to bypass the rules and enter the retail sector of India. The campaign has been organized by the Federation of Association of Maharashtra (FAM), Acorn-India FDI Watch campaign and the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT). Cash and carry format for retail was opened for 100% foreign investment in 2000, when there had been a lot of interest shown in the Indian consumer. Metro of Germany was the first international company to receive permission to enter the country on this format in 2003, followed by Shoprite a South African chain in 2006.