LANGKAWI – The dreaded moment has finally come in Langkawi, at least for chocolate aficionados.
Hundreds of tourists who visited the resort island over the weekend have been left disappointed after shelves that used to hold imported chocolates are now empty or replaced by locally made ones.
One such tourist, Reuben Tor, 28, had flown to Langkawi over the weekend. He bought extra luggage space to check in because he expected it to be filled with imported chocolates bought duty-free, however, his extra baggage will remain empty upon his return home.
“I went to the stores at Pantai Cenang beach and there was none, and there was none at Kuah town as well,” he told The Vibes.
According to Haji Ismail Group (HIG) complex manager Mahmuzi Osman, the stock for imported chocolates in Langkawi is currently very low because businesses stopped their orders due to the closed borders.
When Langkawi was not open to tourists due to the Covid-19 lockdown and restrictions, the chocolates were still on the shelves while their expiry dates drew closer.
Chocolates that are out of stock include the sought after Fererro Rocher, Toblerone and Pepero.
To reduce the possibility of making more losses, all orders from Singapore, where all foreign chocolates have to be imported before they are exported out to Malaysia, were halted.
“When the government suddenly announced that the borders were going to reopen and Langkawi could accept tourists, we didn’t have time to replenish,” Mahmuzi said.
“We retailers quickly made our orders again, but it will take some time before it reaches Langkawi because these items travel by ship.
“Most of the orders started in October, but the bulk of it will only arrive in December or early January.”
There were stores that managed to get in some stock, but these were not substantial.
HIG’s own outlets recently received 300 cartons of the famous Daim chocolates after not having gotten anything for the past three months despite making orders. However, these were all snapped up fast.
Mahmuzi also sought to assure potential buyers that stores are not withholding chocolates to sell them at a higher price later.
“We were told that there were complaints saying that we were refusing to sell the chocolates we have and the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry came to our stores to check.
“We had to show them our invoices and order forms to prove that the chocolates were sold out,” he revealed.
However, Mahmuzi said it is a blessing in disguise as most customers who enter his company’s stores with the intention to spend, bought luggage bags and kitchenware instead.
Based on HIG’s records for the past month, there were approximately 2,000 to 2,500 transactions per day.
The tourism business seems to be back on track as there are many visitors going on vacations on weekdays and weekends. – The Vibes, November 28, 2021
