JEDDAH, 11 October 2004 — Hectic preparations are under way to welcome Ramadan, which begins this weekend. Major supermarkets and big grocery stores, which are specially decorated for the season, are overcrowded with families making huge purchases for the season.
Housewives have been especially enthusiastic, as they get a chance to prepare the choicest dishes for both iftar and sahoor.
“I’m taking home a long list of food items, as I’ve been looking forward to the holy month to prepare all that my family and friends like,” said Maha Hafiz, a middle-aged housewife who was shopping at Watani Supermarket here over the weekend.
Supermarkets are so crowded that shoppers find it difficult to get hold of a cart, Khaled Al-Balushy, an electronics executive, said, adding that he had not been able to make bulk purchases because of the shortage.
“We look forward to this season with great enthusiasm, as we do 30 to 40 percent of our annual business during Ramadan,” a supermarket supervisor said. “We’ve been stocking fresh food arrivals and taking care to see that we’ve in our stock everything that families look for,” he added.
Supermarket supervisors say families spend heavily on food items during the season. A study shows that their Ramadan grocery spend is two to three times their average monthly spend.
Aside from food items, families have been shopping for kitchen equipment and appliances.
“Many women tend to redecorate their homes and renew their kitchen appliances just for Ramadan,” said Umm Muneer.
Some families make a special budgetary provision for Ramadan. Others take exception to such generous spending on food during the fasting month.
“This is something that is against the tenets of Islam, because Ramadan has never been observed as a month for shopping and spending huge sums on food. Most of us forget the spiritual and religious meaning of Ramadan,” said Umm Abdullah.
“Ramadan has turned into a festival of food,” said Muhammad Al-Zahrani, a teacher. “Few realize the true meaning of Ramadan anymore. For some, it has become a month for doing less work, sleeping during the day, staying up late at night watching TV. Many families tend to buy more food than they require. There are families that stock a lot of grocery before the month starts so that they do not have to visit the supermarket again.”
Shops and outlets in shopping malls are working overtime to decorate their premises and provide families’ needs. Especially busy are carpet and furnishing outlets, as families tend to change their carpets and furnishings to mark Eid Al-Fitr.
“We make sure that we offer the latest and the best,” said a carpet shop owner in Al-Bawadi district.
Many hotels and restaurants have also been making preparations for Ramadan. Their chefs have made elaborate plans to offer a variety of Arabic dishes during the month. “We are offering mouth-watering varieties for both iftar and sahoor,” a food and beverage executive at Albilad Hotel said.
