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The ever-growing popularity of malls has resulted in the emergence of new business trends, particularly during Ramadan, in Qatar. One of the most significant developments is that customers can now enjoy uninterrupted shopping during this period. |
Sources in the retail industry attribute the changing business trends, among other factors, to the steady flow of people from various nationalities in Qatar, particularly the West. Their growing numbers have necessitated the continuous functioning of shopping centres, says the general manager of a major mall in Doha.
A senior official of a well-known business centre said most major malls in the country now remain closed for only about an hour a day to enable employees to break their daily fast during the Holy Month. “This was not the case a few years ago,” he added.
Recalling some of the sweeping changes that have taken place in the retail sector in recent times, the official closed shutters were a common sight in the country a few years ago as most shops remained closed for 3-4 hours every day during the Holy Month.
Sources in the retail sector said the huge growth in the country’s population in the past decade has contributed significantly to the changes in trading activities in Qatar.
“Almost all retail outlets had to rely on the same staff throughout the day until 10 years ago. Now, even some of the roadside groceries have introduced a shift system for their employees,” said an entrepreneur. “In view of the intense competition in the business, no one can keep his shop closed for a longer period.”
On the outskirts of Doha, particularly in places that come under the Rayyan municipal limits, most major shopping centres avoid long hours of closure in the evening during Ramadan.
Until a few years ago, most establishments in Muaither and surrounding areas remained closed for 3-4 hours a day during the Holy Month and resumed operations late in the evening, mostly after 8pm. “The arrival of a number of hypermarkets in the past few years have brought about remarkable changes in business practices during Ramadan,” said a senior employee at a hypermarket in Muaither.