People wary of spending

Hoda Hashim, an Egyptian mother of three, has the tradition of saving money from her monthly household budget to buy goodies for Ramadan. She did the same this year, but to no avail.
"I have found out that my savings are too little. They could not cope with the sharp rises in prices of food and many items popular in Ramadan," she said.
According to her meat, poultry, rice and sugar prices have increased.
"The price of beef has increased from 54 Egyptian pounds [Dh33] to 70 Egyptian pounds [Dh43] per kilo. The price of sugar has almost doubled," she said. "Merchants have apparently taken advantage of a lack of governmental control as the whole situation in the country is unstable."

Egypt has been gripped by protests for wider reforms and higher wages since a popular revolt swept aside President Hosni Mubarak in February after 30 years in power.

Consumption rates often peak in Ramadan with consumption of rice surging by 400 per cent in Ramadan compared to other months, local newspapers quoted Jalal Omran, an official at the Commerce Chamber of Food, as saying.

Campaign:
"This Ramadan is different," said Mahmoud Al Qamash, a dealer in dried fruit and nuts, traditionally popular in Ramadan. "People are reluctant to part with their money because they are worried about tomorrow."

Al Qamash reported a drop of more than 50 per cent in his sales compared with last year's business. "Customers have obviously cut their spending on Ramadan merchandise to buy necessary things like food and clothes," he said. "They show up only to have a look at price tags and leave without buying. Others choose to buy little quantities of such goodies as yameesh and pastry associated with Ramadan," he added.

Some Egyptians believe that in the post-Mubarak era, people should change their consumption patterns to revitalise the ailing national economy.

The non-governmental group, Citizens against High Prices, has launched a campaign against shopping for luxury goods in Ramadan.