IN RESPONSE to the government’s drive to limit retail business working hours and merchandise, kiosks and convenience stores yesterday stopped selling state lottery tickets, but stopped short of warning of more drastic measures.
Kiosks are especially riled over the Labour Ministry’s bill, which restricts stores’ area to 50 square metres. They say that this is nowhere near enough, and have counter-proposed 250 square meters. Moreover, the draft bill would prohibit kiosks from selling a long list of items, including essentials such as coffee, alcohol, biscuits and toiletries.
Supermarkets, in conflict with the kiosks over operating hours and merchandise, are also not satisfied with the proposed measures, which would see them opening no earlier than 9am on weekdays and not before 1pm on Mondays.
And as of today, kiosks at selected points will sport black posters reading: “If this bill goes through, this kiosk will close down.”
Despite the ban on the sale of state lotteries, a stroll in downtown Nicosia yesterday revealed that a few kiosks still carried the tickets. It was not clear whether this was a case of ‘strike-busting’ or due to poor organisation from the association.
Andreas Theodoulou, president of the 24-hour stores association, yesterday said he hoped the ministry would take kiosks’ concerns into account; failing that, kiosks would begin collecting signatures from customers who support their cause.
“If the government won’t listen to us, then perhaps they’ll pay attention to the consumers, for whose benefit these measures are supposed to be implemented in the first place.”
Theodoulou’s association has questioned the ministry’s motives, pointing out that its proposals have not been based on any studies on people’s shopping trends; they have asked that such an analysis be carried out before any action is taken.
But strike action on the part of kiosks or convenience stores was ruled out, added Theodoulou.
As behind-the-scenes negotiations continue, a meeting has been scheduled for Friday between Labour Minister Christos Taliadoros, KEVE (the Chamber of Commerce & Industry) and POVEK (the small shopkeepers’ association). Although the meeting is seen as a critical juncture, the Labour Ministry has not yet set a deadline for submission of the bill to the Cabinet.
For its part, the Consumers Association is consciously keeping a low profile. The association’s president Petros Marcou yesterday told the Cyprus Mail they have “remained on the sidelines for the time being, because the protagonists must first reach an agreement.”
“There is great deal of conflict here and a great deal of vested interests involved,” added Marcou. “So let them work things out. Of course we have our own views, but we’ll wait until some decision is taken.”
But Marcou offered that his association was concerned with issues such as kiosks’ prices and hygiene considerations, adding that kiosks carrying foodstuffs should from now on be subjected to Health Ministry controls.
