Traders’ response rate to daily activity during Aid al-Adha reached 95%

Response of traders to open shops during the day of Aid al-Adha, which had been imposed by the Ministry of Commerce through an executive decree, reached more than 95%, which is the highest rate compared to the previous years, and last Aid al-Fitr, while over 500 to 600 traders violated this decree and did not respect this decision, and will be subject to strict and deterrent penalties, Spokesman of the General Union of Algerian Traders and Craftsmen, Taher Boulenouar told Echorouk.

Boulanouar, denied on Wednesday, what has been said by some newspapers about the percentage of commitment that was described as weak or absent in some areas, stressing that the shops were checked after 12/00 pm, while the majority of bakers drove off in business since the late hours of the night, until all quantities of bread were sold, which is usually in the morning at 11 am of the next day, before closing the shops, noting that their services have not received any complaint by local associations for consumer protection, in respect of any violations, not even by the observers and representatives of the Ministry of Commerce, as he spoke in the same context about some of the losses that were recorded by the bakers in Oran, Annaba and Blida, as a result of the accumulation of a large amount of bread. 

“Number of shops which work during this holiday reached 14500 across the nation, of whom 3,500 bakeries, while between 500 to 600 traders violated the decisions of the ministry, and will be subject to strict penalties – by reason of non-compliance-, especially since some areas noticed interruptions in electricity on the night of Aid, which forced some bakers to close their shops, as penalties reached up to 30 days of closing shops, or a fine of up to 500.000 dinars. 

Boulanouar attributed the success rate of response by traders to awareness operations prior to the measures that were taken by the Ministry of Commerce, which informed traders 10 days before Aid al-Adha, as well as preparing a list of maintenance in conjunction with the Federation of Merchants.

Previously, Algiers had decided to open 312 bakeries during Aid al-Adha out of 1500 bakeries.