KARACHI: High animal prices have left people with little surplus cash to buy readymade shalwar kameez, shoes, sandals and designer clothes for upcoming Eidul Azha.

Spending on these items is limited to only 30 per cent of the overall shopping expenditure on Eidul Azha as people prefer to buy sacrificial animals.

Most people choose to wear the same clothes on Eidul Azha that they had worn on Eidul Fitr. However, some parents still go shopping on Eidul Azha to get new clothes for their children.

Moreover, crockery and barbecue-related items also become more popular which dent the sales of readymade garments and bangles.

Some designers have come up with heavy discounts on their stocks while many outlets are offering up to 25pc discount on items like footwear, bags and home textiles to lure buyers.

A popular brand has offered 60pc off on bed sheets, bed set and comforters, which are not specifically Eidul Azha items. Prominent brands are also offering 20pc to 30pc off on some items with a chance to win a Honda car, Samsung phones, tablets and LEDs.

“I think sales of garments, shoes and bangles will remain depressed by 40pc to 50pc compared to last year as people are more interested in animal buying,” All Karachi Tajir Ittehad (AKTI) President Atiq Mir said.

Crockery will remain in high demand coupled with the shopping for post-Eidul Azha weddings that take place every year before the start of Muharram, he said.

Mr Mir said the sales of items other than sacrificial animals is expected to be Rs10-15 billion in Karachi alone. It is likely to be Rs7-7.5bn in Lahore, he added. It will be half the spending level of Lahore in other main cities like Faisalabad, Sialkot, Peshawar, Gujranwala, Multan and Hyderabad, he noted.

Meanwhile, a crockery seller in Hyderi said his sales more than double in the days leading up to Eidul Azha compared to the rest of the year, as more people shop for plates and glasses before the religious festival.

Published in Dawn September 11th, 2016