e-commerce
FMCG distributors to boycott HUL products in Maharashtra
Mumbai: FMCG distributors demanding restoration of old margin structures from the leading maker HUL on Thursday said they would boycott its products in Maharashtra, starting with Taj Mahal Tea.
According to PTI, The distributor said that if the company does not pay attention to their demand, they will boycott the Kissan brand and leading detergent brand RIN along with Tata Mahal Tea brand going ahead.
Recently HUL has reduced the margin of distributors by 60 basis points and increased the variable margin by up to 100 to 130 basis points of its distributors.
HUL owns brands such as Lux, Surf Excel, RIN Pond’s and Dove has reduced the fixed margin by 60 basis points and increased the variable margins by up to 100 to 130 basis points for its distributors. The Distributor demands a minimum 5 per cent margin. The All India Consumers Products Distributors Federation (AICPDF) , an umbrella body for distributors, has raised concern over the new margin structure.
AICPDF on Thursday shared a statement from the Maharashtra Consumer Distributors Federation (MSCPDF) in which they have started non-cooperation against HUL from January 11. MSCPDF plans to keep the Taj Mahal Tea brand as Inactive till January 25.
An E-mail sent to HUL remained answered till press time. The Federation also said from March 1 a nationwide movement will be organised by 1000 distributors in front of HUL head office in Mumbai.
e-commerce
Instamart and Duolingo launch street spell check campaign for Instaprint
Duo the owl fixes signboard typos across cities to showcase instant printing.
MUMBAI: If spelling mistakes had a sworn enemy, it might just be a bright green owl with a printer. Instamart has teamed up with language learning platform Duolingo for a quirky nationwide campaign that turns everyday spelling errors into a public spectacle while promoting its instant printing service, InstaPrint. The playful activation takes aim at the many misspelled shop boards and public signs scattered across Indian streets. From “saloons” that promise haircuts rather than drinks to menus and posters peppered with punctuation mishaps, the campaign sends Duolingo’s mascot Duo on a mission to restore linguistic order.
Armed with Instamart’s instant printing feature, Duo prints corrected versions of the mistakes on the spot and pastes them over the originals. The result is a series of humorous street interventions that have quickly begun circulating on social media.
Photos and videos of the grammar correcting owl have been widely shared online, with amused users reacting to the unexpected spell check patrol. One user joked, “Ab ayega na maza bhidu,” capturing the internet’s delight at the unusual campaign.
Behind the humour lies a practical message. The activation is designed to showcase the capabilities of Instaprint, Instamart’s printing service that allows users to print documents and posters almost instantly.
The company says the feature is meant for everyday needs such as printing resumes, visa documents or last minute posters without the usual scramble to locate a print shop.
Instamart introduced Instaprint in 2025 across select metropolitan cities including Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi. The service allows users to order printed materials directly through the platform, extending the quick commerce model beyond groceries and household essentials.
By combining Duolingo’s famously persistent owl with India’s street level spelling quirks, the campaign taps into the internet’s long running fascination with grammar mistakes while demonstrating a real world use case for instant printing.
After all, in a world full of typos, sometimes what you really need is a quick printer and a very determined language teacher.
