Ibrahim Hossain Ovi
Ahead of a week-long lockdown and Ramadan, consumers rushed to super shops to buy essential goods as they offer a safe environment amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bangladesh government is set to enforce a week-long strict lockdown to halt the spread of coronavirus, which suddenly went up sharply in the last couple of weeks breaking the previous record of both infection and death.
During visits to several outlets of super shops, The Business Post found people queuing up to pay at cash counters in the capital, while there was a rush to shelves to collect products.
“Buying products from a supermarket is quite better than traditional kitchen markets as they offer quality products as well as a safer environment amid the ongoing pandemic,” Khaled Hossain, a private service holder told The Business Post. He was buying products from an outlet of Shwapno, located at Mirpur-10 in the capital.
In addition, there are more items under a common space, which is not possible in traditional shops, rather I have to search them in different places, said Khaled.
‘’As the country is witnessing an unusual surge in infection of COVID-19, we are afraid of lockdown which may be extended further. In the given situation, we are collecting the necessary food items to avoid a crisis,” Jahanara Begum, a private banker told The Business Post at an outlet of Meena Bazar located in Mirpur.
Meanwhile, food items consumed during the month of holy Ramadan also enlarged the purchase volume, she added.
“The current situation is quite different from a normal one. People are going through a movement restriction as well as a health safety risk,” Sabbir Hasan Nasir - Executive Director - ACI Logistics Limited (Shwapno) told The Business Post.
People are buying more considering the lockdown and the Ramadan as they are sceptical about the tenure of the ongoing lockdown, said Sabbir.
The customers are choosing our services as we offer a better and safer environment amid the soaring infection rate of coronavirus in the recent weeks, he added.
“Sales went up during the lockdown enforced in March last year but it came down later. But the sales peaked again with the fresh lockdown,” Meena Bazar Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shaheen Khan told The Business Post.
On top of that, Ramadan also expedited the sales as the consumers were purchasing food items, especially for fasting, Shaheen added.
Speaking on health safety rules, he said that they introduced a safety protocol for both their employees and shoppers last year and was continuing it as per the guidelines of the government.
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