TIRUCHY: Getting a haircut in Tiruchy has become a costly affair, with the Tiruchy District Hairdressers Association revising service charges by around 20% after four years with effect from July 1, citing a sharp rise in operational expenses, shop rent, labour costs and increasing inflation.
The association, which represents over 500 salons in the city, said the revision comes four years after the previous hike in 2022, following the 2019 pandemic. The decision was taken unanimously at the association’s monthly meeting held in June after members said it had become difficult to continue operations without revising prices. Association secretary P Dharmalingam said the cost of running neighbourhood salons has increased substantially over the past four years. “Our trade licence fee has increased four-fold from Rs 200 to Rs 800. The prices of essential consumables have also risen sharply. For instance, a razor blade that earlier costed about Rs 1 now costs nearly Rs 3. Tissue paper rolls and professional grooming products are now two to three times more expensive than they were a few years ago. We absorbed these costs for a long time, but it is no longer financially viable as the general inflation is on rise due to West Asia war impact,” he said.
He said the revision was also necessitated by hikes in commercial electricity tariffs, shop rents and property taxes. “Following the revision of property tax by the corporation, many building owners have increased shop rents. Commercial electricity tariffs have also gone up, and we are paying charges similar to large commercial establishments. At the same time, customers today expect air-conditioned salons, making it almost impossible to run a business without installing air conditioners, which further increases electricity bills,” Dharmalingam added.
The association claimed that nearly 500 of the city’s estimated 1,050 neighbourhood salons have shut down over the past five years due to mounting operational costs and stiff competition from corporate salon chains. Patricia Mary, a hairdresser from Melachinthamani, said implementing the revised rates has not been easy. “Although all members agreed to the revision during last month’s meeting, many customers are reluctant to accept the increase. We cannot force them to pay the revised charges, so we explain the reasons behind it. Labour costs have also increased considerably. Earlier, we could employ an assistant for around Rs 8,000 a month, but today we have to pay at least Rs 12,000,” she said.
P Jeganathan, a hairdresser from Sangiliyandapuram, said competition from branded salon chains continues to affect small establishments. “Many corporate salons have already been charging these rates. If we also insist on the revised prices, we may lose more customers. Small salons have already witnessed a decline in business because of the growing presence of corporate chains,” he said. Hairdressers also allude to the increasing inflation due to West Asia war which contributes to mounting costs.
However, J Ashwin, proprietor of a corporate salon chain in Tiruchy, said his outlets have not introduced any fresh price revision. “Our charges have been at this level for some time. We also face increasing operational expenses, but we are able to offset them through other beauty and grooming services such as makeup and skincare, apart from hair services,” he said.