Local markets adjust hours
Ramadan ... curfew
KUWAIT CITY, April 23: As the Holy Month of Ramadan starts this weekend, people are seen rushing to the cooperative stores and supermarkets to buy foodstuff and grocery items for the iftar, ghabqa and suhour as family and friends traditionally gather around a sumptuous meal. But this year’s Ramadan would observed differently amid the COVID-19 pandemic and with the imposition of curfew in Kuwait to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country. With social distancing, this may also dampen the festive mood of the Ramadan meals that may be limited this time to immediate family members and not the usual huge gatherings.
Shoppers must also follow strictly and abide by the curfew of 4:00 pm to 8:00 am that would start on the first day of Ramadan prompting Cooperative stores and supermarkets in the country to do the same.
As the Ministry of Health encourages social distancing when shopping, some shoppers turn to online shopping which has become a trend these days in the country which is safer than going out to shop.
During Ramadan, cooperative stores will be open from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm to 2:00 am only for online delivery and for those who have curfew passes and earlier booked online with the Cooperative store in their respective area.
They can book dates and time to shop at coops during curfew hours. They just have to follow the instructions on the website www.moci.shop: 1-Select the preferred language 2- Enter your civil ID 3- Civil ID serial 4- Name 5- District 6- Cell phone number 7- E-Mail address 8- Choose the market. Co-op customers will be given 30 minutes only to shop. Two barcodes will be sent to the shopper’s email. One allows you to drive during the curfew hours and another one to confirm the co-op appointment.
Meanwhile, other supermarkets and hyper markets have the following timings this Ramadan: City Centre from 8:30 am–3:30 pm; Sultan Center 9:00 am–2:00 pm; Lulu Hypermarket 8:00 am–3:00 pm; Grand Hyper 8:30 am–3:00 pm. All of these grocery stores offer online shopping and home delivery to their customers. Shoppers can go to the store website and shop for the items needed for the Ramadan.