Utility Stores have posted record sales of Rs500 million only on the first of Ramadan. These stores have now proven to be the best place to shop as compared to Ramadan bazaars and other markets, the prices of daily use commodities are far less.
Consumers save 15 per cent
A survey conducted by Pakistan Today reveals that all kitchen items are cheaper at these stores. Consumers could save around 15 per cent if they purchase from Utility stores, as the federal government is offering Rs2 billion subsidy only for the month of Ramadan. There are more than 20 utility stores in the city providing kitchen items to the consumers. Though Punjab government has established Sasta Ramadan bazaars and offering subsidy on limited products but the prices of these products are high and it appears that politically motivated Ramadan bazaars have failed to deliver to the masses. On the other hand, utility stores are offering very cheap rates on kitchen items like sugar, flour, edible oil and ghee, rice, tea, grams, pulses, dates, juices, spices and basin. Customers have expressed their pleasure and happiness over the reduction in prices at utility stores.
They said that they have taken a sigh of relief this year during Ramadan, as the prices of kitchen items are far less than they were in the preceding year. They said that Punjab government should also take lesson from utility stores and try to establish such mechanisms, where people can get products at cheaper rates without having to stand in long queues. Perhaps, it is for the first time in history that there are no long queues at utility stores and people are getting sugar and flour easily.
“In recent years, we observed that whenever subsidies were offered there were long queues at Utility stores but it has happened for the first time that consumers are getting all products hassle free,” said a consumer Mujahid Rasheed at Model Town Utility Store. He appreciated the administration of utility stores for establishing separate counters for sugar, rice, ghee and flour. “The utility stores administration has established separate counters for each respective item and it is a good step, since it has made the purchase of products an easy task,” said another customer Kashif Javed adding the items are available openly and there is no problem in purchasing things. A housewife Saleeha Karim said that she saved at least 15 per cent this month by shopping from utility stores. “My average kitchen items bill is around Rs6,000 but this month it remained around Rs5,000 mainly due to the subsidy offered by utility stores,” she said adding that the quality of products is also good. “All the products were up to the standard and fresh,” she added.
Role of respective ministry lauded
Consumers also said that often there are long queues in Sasta bazaars however things are different at utility stores, “I have been to Ramadan bazaar and was embarrassed to see people standing in queues purchasing flour and sugar,” said a banker Rashid Alam. He lauded the role of the respective ministry to have taken steps in this regard, “Credit goes to the ministry of industries and production, which has offered huge subsidy in the holy month of Ramadan,” he concluded. Advisor to the Prime Minister Raja Basharat said that the government is committed to provide relief to the people in a respectable way. He said that the success of government measures could be gauged by the sales of Utility Stores that remained more than Rs500 million on the first day of Ramadan. “Sales of Utility stores on the first of Ramadan is ample proof of the fact that people are interested in buying from Utility stores,” he said adding that the government has provided relief to the people in the past and would continue to do so in the future.
