These shops have no CCTV, no surveillance, and even no shopkeeper. What drives these shops is trust. These shops simply rely on the honesty of customers to pay the correct price for the products they pick up.
Adding yet another feather to the serenity and wholesomeness that Nagaland is already known for, the Nagaland Tourism Minister has highlighted another unique feature of the region that will make you say, “It can only happen in Nagaland.” Yes, you read that right! The minister took to his X account to share a glimpse of the state's ‘honesty shops’, which operate entirely on trust.
Honesty Shops In Nagaland!
These shops have no CCTV, no surveillance, and even no shopkeeper. What drives these shops is trust. These shops simply rely on the honesty of customers to pay the correct price for the products they pick up. Temjen Imna Along, Minister of Tourism and Higher Education of Nagaland, shared an X post this morning appreciating the shops that run on trust.
Minister's Tweet
Sharing some pictures, he wrote, "No shopkeeper. No CCTV. Just trust. Would this work where you live?”
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“A shop that runs without a shopkeeper. No one standing at the counter. No one watching over customers. Just a roadside stall where people can stop, pick what they need, and pay on their own,” read the text on an image posted by the Nagaland minister.
Unique and how!
Similar shops can be found in some villages of Nagaland and other parts of North East India. These unmanned stalls by the roadside are built on trust. Customers just choose what they want, write down the prices next to it and put the money in a money box that is there. Some stalls also have the facility for payments via UPI QR codes.
Let us tell you that according to a 2025 report in India Today, women farmers successfully manage around 20 such shops across Pfutsero in Nagaland. These shops stock seasonal fruits and veggies, along with homemade pickles, jams and juices.
“Sometimes, trust is enough to keep businesses moving. Because a business is not always built on transactions alone. Sometimes, it also depends on the honesty people bring to the simplest everyday things,” wrote, Temjen Imna Along, a member of the BJP.
