AL-SAFAFIR, ONE OF KUWAIT'S OLDEST MARKETS, IS BATTLING FOR SURVIVAL

  • 29/05/2022

Kuwait City: Al-Safafir, one of the Gulf's oldest and thought to be the only heritage market where people can buy their copper, steel, or aluminium needs, including barbecue tools, is literally struggling for survival because the market now appears abandoned for various reasons – the main reason being a shortage of skilled and experienced manpower due to non-graduate expatriates, 60 years and older, leaving the market after the government introduced new rules and regulations.


During a field tour of this market, the daily discovered that something was wrong: there were no purchasers or customers, the market appeared to be empty, and most of the store owners were seen yawning or seeking for ways to engage people. They grumbled about a lack of sales, which coincided, unfortunately, with growing raw material prices required to create various products.

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