STA, 11 December 2020 - The Chamber of Commerce (TZS) has again called on the government to reopen non-essential stores. The appeal comes ahead of Saturday's government session where the future course of action to stem the epidemic is to be determined. Non-grocery stores have been closed four months and the chamber estimates the lost revenue at over EUR 2 billion.
The organisation highlighted on Friday that stores were not a source of infections or a factor aggravating the epidemiological status. It warned that retailers were facing huge problems, including seasonal goods piling up in their warehouses.
Moreover, consumers have been turning to the chamber reporting difficulties in acquiring urgently needed products.
"The closure of retail services is not underpinned by an assessment of the actual epidemiological risk in certain activities," said the head of the chamber Mariča Lah, adding that the lockdown had been causing disproportionate damage.
Retailers have been consistently heeding prevention measures, she added, calling on the authorities to reopen the stores and take steps that would aim to contain the actual coronavirus hotspots.
