JEDDAH — A decision to ensure all retailers and commercial traders close by 9 p.m. would be officially announced soon, Minister of Labor Adel Fakeih has confirmed. The ministry is currently finalizing arrangements with the Council of Ministers, Al-Riyadh Arabic daily reported on Sunday. Recent studies conducted by the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry revealed that retail and commercial industries hire millions of employees annually and most of them are expatriates. In response to the study, the Ministry of Labor set a number of regulations to increase the rate of Saudization and encourage Saudis to join the job market. One of these regulations is to ensure that only female employees work in women exclusive shops such as lingerie stores. Fakeih said: “The Ministry of Labor submitted a recommendation to the higher authorities to regulate the working hours of retailers. The recommendation was submitted 13 months ago and the higher authorities are currently working on legalizing the decision.” In response, some government departments have requested dividing commercial businesses into two categories: One that closes at 9 p.m. and the other that closes at 10 p.m. According to the Ministry of Labor's new charter, all stores and sales points throughout the Kingdom are to operate from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. However, the charter does make an exception for businesses operating in the central areas of Makkah and Madinah due to their religious significance and ongoing activities. The charter has also regulated the working hours during Ramadan and stated that all commercial shops may remain open until 2 a.m., while restaurants can continue operating until fasting begins at dawn. As for shops and stores that need to remain open 24 hours, a specialized committee consisting of the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs is working on making exemptions. Recreational centers, fun fairs, restaurants and cafes must close at 12 a.m. on weekdays and 1 a.m. on weekends, according to the charter. Once the decision is officially announced, the Ministry of Labor will grant a period of six months to implement the new regulations. The study conducted by the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry also revealed that most retail and commercial shop owners support the decision to regulate working hours, while most consumers opposed the decision. The chairman of Shopping Centers Committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the chief executive officer at Red Sea Markets Company, Mohammad Alawi, said the issue has not been discussed with businessmen or consumers. “As the chairman of the shopping mall committee I have never been informed about this new regulation.” The decision, he said, is based on some impertinent comparisons, like comparing the local market to European and American markets that close at 7 p.m. or 8 p.m.
