"Libraries": Stationery season declines by 30% compared to previous seasons

Specialized bookstores bear operating costs in the face of unequal competition

Calls to regulate stationery sales and restrict activities according to licenses

The head of the Stationery and Bookstore Owners Syndicate, Mohammad Hujeir, confirmed that the current back-to-school season was weaker than previous seasons, recording a decline in commercial activity of about 30%, while commercial traffic at the peak of the season did not exceed 60%.

In a statement to "Alrai", Hujeir explained that the school season is considered one of the most important commercial seasons for the stationery and bookstore sector, but the results of the current season fell short of expectations, in light of the weak purchasing power of families and the decline in spending on school supplies compared to previous seasons.

He pointed out that commercial activity witnessed a gradual increase as the start of the school year approached, but it did not reach the levels that the sector used to record in previous seasons, which reflected on the sales of bookstores and merchants.

He indicated that the availability of various types of stationery and school supplies in the markets was not enough to stimulate sales, in light of limited purchasing power and families' focus on buying basic necessities.

Hujeir pointed out that the bookstore sector is facing an increasing challenge represented by the entry of non-specialized sectors and sales outlets into the stationery and school supplies market, considering that the encroachment of these sectors has become significant in the absence of sufficient oversight.

He explained that stationery has become sold in many commercial outlets, from malls and supermarkets to clothing stores and various shops, which led to direct competition for specialized bookstores and affected their share of sales.

He called on regulatory authorities to tighten control over the practice of commercial activities and ensure that establishments adhere to the purposes and licenses granted to them, in a way that achieves justice between sectors and limits unregulated competition.

He also called for strengthening oversight on the quality of school supplies, especially products used by children and students, and ensuring their compliance with approved specifications and preventing the introduction of low-quality products into the markets.

Hujeir emphasized that the weakness of the current season puts pressure on those working in the sector, especially since the back-to-school season represents a major opportunity for bookstores and merchants to increase their sales and meet their obligations.

He added that the sector will work during the coming period to evaluate the results of the season and research the challenges facing specialized bookstores, especially in light of the widening competition from non-specialized sales outlets.

The stationery and bookstore sector includes about four thousand merchants, distributors, and importers across the Kingdom, and the back-to-school season is considered one of the most prominent seasons that the sector relies on to stimulate its sales