KUALA LUMPUR – Unlike in previous years, the Ramadan bazaar today is missing much of its lustre and draw as Malaysia faces economic challenges such as rising cost of living and soaring prices of raw materials.
The post-pandemic bazaar has seen both traders and the general public grappling with increased costs, which have led to food and beverages being sold at higher prices.
Fendi, 43, a dessert vendor at a Ramadan bazaar in Bangsar, said that sellers are aware that their food is pricey this year.
Yet, they have scant options.
He advised the sellers to pre-plan and survey as many shops as they can before setting up stalls in the bazaar.
“I used to sell biryani every year but, since there are five biryani stalls here already, I am selling doughnuts and desserts this time to make profit,” he said.
He also said that sales this year have been disrupted due to constant rain, which dissuades people from coming out.
Just RM1
Omar Ahmad, 21, a murtabak seller who is continuing the food business his father started thirty years ago, said that he added just RM1 to last year’s price so as not to deter buyers.
He opined that it is hard for the sellers too to sustain businesses, as raw materials such as chicken and eggs have gotten expensive this year.
“If we compare, the profit is almost similar to the previous years. We can see the customers are not paying a visit here (to the bazaar) as they used to do before but, God-willing, we still can manage to earn some profit,” he told The Vibes.
High volume
Syafiq, a butter chicken stall owner who started his business just two years ago during the pandemic, opined that operating at the street market is not about earning a profit by setting prices high but improving sales volume with cheaper prices.
Customers expect vendors to sell delicious food at cheap prices. Thus, sellers should know ways to balance their sales and profits to sustain their businesses, said the 30-year-old vendor.
In the current economic state, I should be selling per meal for RM10, but I am selling it for RM8 only. It is not about the profit but about increasing the sales volume in my business.
“When I sell the meal for RM8, it attracts customers to buy from my stall.
“In that case, I can sell more meals and earn good profit at the same time,” he said.
Syafiq added that the customers are no longer depending on the Ramadan bazaar for their iftar (breaking fast) meals as they used to do.
“They (the customers) are worried about spending money this year because everything is expensive,” he said.
Back to normal?
Apart from the sellers, some customers who visited the bazaar also shared their thoughts on the situation this year.
A buyer named Syahir said that while he feels the prices at this bazaar are slightly higher than before, they are similar to those in other places, which is understandable.
Honestly, it (the price) is almost the same. It is just a matter of getting used to it, and the (current economic) situation is like that,” he said.
Syahir said that he noticed the number of visitors to the Ramadan bazaar has increased significantly ever since the lockdown ended and things are getting back to normal.
Bittersweet
Karthine, 31, a customer who was visiting the bazaar in Bangsar, said that the number of stalls set up seemed fewer than before.
There are also less varieties of food and beverages, and not many youngsters are visiting the bazaar, she said.
“I think not many youngsters are coming out to buy now. In past years, it was a childhood thing (to shop in the bazaar) during Ramadan.”
Karthine shared some of her childhood memories of purchasing “kuih-muih” (sweet treats) from Ramadan bazaars where she and her siblings used to share their pocket money and buy as much food together. However, now the starting price of any food item is RM5.
She shared her experiences of how crowded and joyful the bazaar used to be, but it is not having the same appeal anymore.
“Previously, Ramadan bazaars used to be overcrowded with people pushing each other to buy foodstuffs. They also used to play popular Raya songs where we all felt the festive vibe.
“Now, it is just like a ‘come-buy-go-back’ kind of thing,” she said. – The Vibes, April 12, 2023
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