PEOPLE in Bahrain are being urged to buy from local brands as markets are experiencing the financial impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, writes the GDN's Reem Al Daaysi.

As businesses across the globe take a hit, Bahrain’s small and medium enterprises are struggling to make ends meet and a call has gone out from Bahrainis to support their products.

Bahraini-owned restaurants, coffee shops, food-trucks, retail and commercial stores along with productive families have raised fears they would struggle to stay afloat.

Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) food wealth committee chairman Khalid Al Ameen said it was a “priority to support” these businesses and projects.

“It’s important to support the start-ups and the small companies and we have to support them now especially in these tough days otherwise they will go bankrupt,” he said.

“It is our duty to support all Bahrainis and now is the time for the local businesses to be supported in order to get through this current crisis.

“We should stick together in these days to get through this crisis and we should unite.”

His concerns were shared by Parliament’s financial and economic affairs committee chairman Ahmed Al Salloom, who highlighted that social solidarity was crucial in these extraordinary times.

Mr Al Salloom, who is also BCCI board member and chairman of the Bahrain Small and Medium Enterprises Development Society, also urged smaller local businesses to be creative in offering their services and adjusting their pricing to retain customers beyond this period.

“There is no doubt that Covid-19 has had huge financial and economic impact, but solidarity isn’t just required because of the virus but it should be a continuous concept,” he said.

“It is important that local businesses have the required quality of products and pricing to be competitive and ensure repeat buying from customers and not just as a one-off purchase because of the current situation.

“I call on all the society to stand together in solidarity, but I also urge small and micro enterprises as well as productive families to take into account the quality and pricing of their products and services.”

Meanwhile, an Instagram account has been launched in support of local Bahraini concepts such as coffee shops, flower shops, chocolate stores and modern cafes as well as studios.

The account, @golocal.bh, aims to help local Bahraini projects and companies gain the needed support.

One Bahraini businesswoman, who owns a food-truck in the Seef District, told the GDN that sales have dropped by more than 90 per cent in the last month.

She explained that her daily income has barely risen above BD3, while her expenses cost more than BD250 monthly.

“I’m barely making ends meet as my only source of livelihood is the food-truck and there have been days when I would only sell one meal,” she said on condition of anonymity.

“We need people to stand with us and support us and we’re hoping the government will support us.

“I just started six months ago and I didn’t even stand on my two feet before crashing to the ground again.”

Another Bahraini man, who owns restaurants in Amwaj Islands, said his businesses have suffered as well with sales dropping by 80pc.

“Our profits have been impacted and the damages are colossal and we don’t know who will compensate us for all these losses,” he said.

“We only have these projects as our source of livelihood, so we don’t know how we will survive and we are just trying to find a way to continue our commercial activities.”

Key measures have been taken in the last week in the fight against the coronavirus, including closing all retail outlets for two weeks, starting from tomorrow until April 9.

Hypermarkets, cold stores, bakeries, pharmacies and banks have been exempted from the temporary shutdown, while restaurants and cafes will continue to provide delivery and takeaway services.

Public gatherings of more than five people have also been banned, with strict measures to be taken against violators.