Muscat: With less than three weeks left before the start of the Holy Month of Ramadhan (likely on March 1), preparations have started to ensure that the market is not short of essential food supplies, while retailers hope to take maximum advantage of one of the favorable months for shopping.
January 31 was the first day of the month of Shaaban 1446 AH.
The Consumer Protection Authority (CPA) has intensified monitoring markets to ensure the availability of goods at reasonable prices and provide alternatives to the consumer in addition to coordinating with commercial centers.
Several retailers have started offering the Ramadan basket that includes 17 to 19 food products, at reasonable prices not exceeding RO10 to ease the burden on consumers and provide the weekly needs of essential goods for the family.
Ramadhan basket includes basic commodities that are in demand by a wide segment of consumers in the Sultanate, which can be a relief for hundreds of fast observers who will abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to sunset.
For restaurant businesses, Iftar bookings are important, including those organized by corporate and social groups as people usually break their fast together with members of the society.
The Sultanate has been observing flexible working hours during Ramadhan since 2023 as it helped ease traffic on the main roads such as Sultan Qaboos Street and the Muscat Expressway when employees rushed home.
With the new flexible working hours and the option for remote working, the movement of employees was spread out which helped reduce not only traffic congestion but also accidents.
Flexible working hours can be determined by the head of the departments to determine the hours of attendance. The shift options were 7 am to 12 noon, 8 am to 1 pm, 9 am to 2 pm, and 10 am to 3 pm.
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