The new collection of winter wear at a shopping outlet.
With temperatures falling, the demand for warm clothes – sweaters and jackets - have increased in the local markets. A number of construction companies have instructed their workers to bring winter wear during night shifts.
Shopping complexes and commercial outlets have announced attractive offers and discounts on winter collection to attract customers. Some outlets have put up separate sections exclusively for winter collections.
“We imported a large stock of winter wear including jackets, sweaters, inners and other warm clothes like Jillabia for gents and ladies from India and China last month,” a sales executive at a famous shopping complex in Ain Khalid told The Peninsula. “Now we have displayed both new and old stocks. The customers have started coming in. To increase the sales, we are offering 20% discount and we are witnessing an increase in the number of customers. As temperature falls, the demand will go up further,” he added.
“Jackets and sweaters cost from QR95 to QR160 per piece. Inner wear, jillabia and other worm clothes cost about QR30 per piece. The price of winter wear has not changed much compared to the last year,” said the sales executive.
Another leading outlet near Hamad bin Khaled (HBK) signal is running a promotion offering QR15 voucher on winter collection for every purchase of QR50. Customers get 30 percent discount and they can choose a product worth the voucher value.
“We have only cotton sweaters imported from India. We do not have woollen products as the climate here does not require such products. We have a variety of sweaters which cost some QR100. There is no price hike this year compared to last year,” said a salesman. “Our stocks are new and arrived only last month. We do not have jackets as our products are made in our own factory in India. The factory is not making jackets,” he added.
Meanwhile, health facilitators at various construction sites have asked workers to wear warmer clothes when working in late night shifts. “Over the last few days, the nights and early mornings were colder and we also had fog,” said a site doctor at a major construction company with thousands of workers.
“The occupational health and safety officers have asked workers to carry their jackets and sweaters for the night shifts to cope with any sudden dip in mercury. The winter is starting and so we have to prepare. Most of the people do not take necessary precaution during early winter, when temperature is just starting to drop. However, medical experts recommend taking extra care during the weather transition period as now. The human body needs time to synchronize with the outside climate, without which health would fail,” said the doctor.
