Festive hiring, cigarette MRPs and UPI charges set the tone

Delhi desk, 17 September 2026. Flipkart loads the supply chain while ITC tests smoker wallets and merchants brace for MDR. Kiranas and dark stores will feel every rupee this Navratri window.

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Ecommerce
Flipkart loads 2.5 lakh festive roles
900 hubs and 1.4 lakh last-mile jobs ahead of Big Billion Days.
Retail
ITC lifts two cigarette MRPs again
Classic Connect hits ₹428, Gold Flake Super Star ₹89 after tax pass-through.
Payments
UPI MDR locked at 0.4% from Oct 15
Merchants bear the charge above ₹2,000; no consumer fee, no rollback.
Ecommerce
UP SHG goods go live on big apps
3,000-plus village products listed on Amazon, Flipkart and Meesho.
Retail
Festive costs hit labour and payments
Hiring surge plus MDR will sort retail margins before Diwali.
Retail
UP SHG goods hit Amazon Flipkart Meesho
Over 3,000 village products go live on major platforms, opening new D2C-style reach for rural makers ahead of festive gifting.

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