Vendors banking on last-minute sales

Vendors across the island are hoping to reap benefits from last-minute Christmas sales.

While several of them at the Cheapside Market reported they were beginning to see an increase in consumers rushing to buy fresh produce and meats for the upcoming Christmas holidays, President of the Barbados Association of Retailers, Vendors and Entrepreneurs (BARVEN) Alistair Alexander said from what he saw taking place in the markets last Saturday, vendors should be busy on Thursday and Christmas Eve.

“We thank Barbadians for the way they have been responding to vendors and supporting their own. It is not true that they do not support their own, that is a fallacy. Barbadians do support their own in large numbers,” he said.

“Last weekend, we saw a great bump in the market and I will be looking forward to an even bigger bump on Christmas Eve. There was a lot of patronage last week as people passed through the markets and I don’t know if that is because we had onions at 99 cents per pound, or people just want their fresh produce for Christmas.

“Tomatoes are also cheap at this point and we are glad that we are getting them because usually tomatoes aren’t around at this time, but God blessed us this year. And you can get tomatoes on Christmas Eve as cheap as $2,” Alexander added.

Although noting that there is often a shortage of local vegetables at this time of the year, due to climatic conditions, the BARVEN president said shoppers can still find their favourite fruits and vegetables in the market.

Meanwhile, vendor Angela Greene said that on Monday and Tuesday, some of her regular customers said they decided to get their produce earlier than usual because they were afraid of getting caught up in the last-minute Christmas shopping rush.

“Some of them say that them ain’t coming back to town so they come to get the fresh herbs and vegetables and fruits. But I am waiting to see what will happen on Thursday and Friday. I hope that the sales will be good. We have everything in the market right now. All people have to do is to come and buy,” she said.

While reporting favourable sales over the past few days, butcher Anthony Cox said he expects his regular customers to get their fresh meat on Christmas Eve.

“You know people want the beef and the pork and the lamb. I really hope that my customers come and get what they need so that they will enjoy a good Christmas,” he said.

Other fruit and vegetable vendors indicated that in recent weeks, they have noticed additional persons patronising the markets. anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb