"Al Meera is currently co-ordinating with local suppliers to provide offers on around 850 consumer products, in addition to approximately 300 deals on household and kitchenware items,” Deputy CEO Dr Mohamed Nasser al-Qahtani announced on Sunday.
Al Meera is also working with its suppliers in Turkey, Thailand, Vietnam, the US, and UK, among others to import “the best products” and to provide imported items from the company’s various sources prior to the holy month of Ramadan.
“While the oil crisis has made an impact on the market, we will still continue to offer a range of promotions for our customers to stay ahead of our competitors,” al-Qahtani told Gulf Times during a press conference.
“The fact that we have increased the number of consumer goods being sold at cost price from 1,000 products in 2015 to 1,437 this year means that the impact of the oil crisis on the global market did not affect our programme for the Ramadan season.”
Al-Qahtani explained that the number of consumer goods to be sold at cost price at all Al Meera branches was based on the current Islamic year, 1437 AH.
Influx of customers
To accommodate the influx of customers, especially in the evening, some select branches will operate until 2am, al-Qahtani said, adding that Al Meera will use shelf tags to assist customers in identifying items marked by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC).
To translate its motto of being everyone’s “favourite neighbourhood retailer,” Al Meera will work on providing adequate quantities of “Tamween” items for Qatari nationals at 31 branches around the country, al-Qahtani said.
“The holy month of Ramadan is a time best suited for standing together and strengthening ties with members of the community through the provision of huge deals, exceptional prices, and careful planning in every branch. We are keen to continue gaining customers’ satisfaction and strive to provide the finest products at competitive prices in all seasons and circumstances,” he said.
For its social initiatives, al-Qahtani said Al Meera will continue to support initiatives aimed at achieving food and health safety, citing the memorandum of understanding it signed with the Ministry of Public Health and Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar to implement a public health awareness campaign in several Al Meera branches.
He added that Al Meera “is working hard with its partners” to launch the project before Ramadan.
Similarly, al-Qahtani said Al Meera will support Ramadan projects and programmes of associations and charitable organisations in Qatar, including distribution of water and paper tissue during the “Tarawih” prayers at major mosques in the country, in coordination with the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs.
Al-Qahtani said plans are underway to open 14 new branches around the country, adding that works started last year for five shopping centres, which are expected to be delivered within the next three months.
For its overseas market, Al Meera is “planning to work on a new one in Oman this year,” he said.
Al Meera currently has four branches in Oman. Other markets include Egypt and Libya pending the approval of Al Meera’s board of directors, al-Qahtani added.
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