Tata Consumer Products distributors allege mismanagement, call for non-cooperation movement

The All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation (AICPDF) on Wednesday issued a formal statement alleging widespread dissatisfaction among Tata Consumer Products Ltd’s (TCPL) distributors, who operate under its banner. The federation said distributors have expressed “deep discontent and anguish” over the “mismanagement,” “unprofessional behaviour,” and “arrogant attitude” of company officials.

Dhairyashil Patil, National President of AICPDF, told Storyboard18 that distributors of the FMCG major have raised multiple grievances, including blocked investments for over two months, unreasonable sales targets, lack of coordination, and delays in damage settlement claims pending for more than 15 months.

The federation further alleged that cases of rat-biting and warehouse damage remain uncompensated despite repeated follow-ups. It also noted high attrition levels within TCPL’s sales team, attributing it to poor execution at the ground level.

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According to AICPDF, distributors have reported irregularities and possible system manipulations that have led to reduced margins and misrepresented profitability. Damaged products, it claimed, continue to remain in the market and in distributor godowns for over a year without proper audit -- posing a serious risk to consumer safety.

Distributors of Tata Consumer Products in Maharashtra have now unanimously decided to launch a non-cooperation movement. AICPDF said that all new purchases from the company will be suspended from October 13, 2025, and warned that all secondary sales will be halted from October 20, 2025.

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“Distributors are not merely sales channels; they are the backbone of the Tata legacy in trade. The moral breach and mismanagement witnessed today have shaken decades of trust. The Tata name deserves better, and so do its trade partners,” Patil said.

Storyboard18 has reached out to Tata Consumer Products Ltd for comment. The story will be updated once the response is received.