Marjane stops alcohol sales
Friday was to mark the date of resumption of the sale of alcohol by different distributors in Morocco (supermarkets, taverns, etc) This year, Marjane delivered a surprise. After Eid, three of its stores have failed to re-opened their alcohol shelves. There is talk of at least seven stores stopping sales and the list may grow. The information had been circulated during the month of Ramadan but had not been taken seriously by most suppliers and customers of these supermarkets before they discovered the sad truth firsthand.
The stores imposing the alcohol ban are expected to include; Derb Soltan, El Massira, Khouribga, Beni Mellal, Ain Sebaâ, Salé and Morocco Mall.
UPDATE - "Idle, drunken, rodents"
According to an informant who asked not to be named, the decision not to resume the sale of alcohol in the supermarkets at the end of Ramadan was made in response to the presence of "the many illegal dealers." This is a reference to individuals who buy alcohol and then set up illegal resale. The ban, it is hoped, will "...end the fighting caused by dozens of idle, drunken, rodents near three of the hypermarkets." An official from Marjane also told AFP that the problem was the supermarkets being close to "sensative" neighbourhoods ".
This decision has not been taken under pressure from Islamists, said the official.
Repeatedly contacted by AFP, the group's management could not be reached this week. In the absence of official communication, "everyone has his theory but the most common reason for this decision is that some (hypermarkets) are located in sensitive areas," also reported Les Echos, a French business daily paper.
Marjane arrête l’alcool.
Vendredi dernier devait marquer la date de reprise de la vente d'alcool par les différents distributeurs au Maroc (grandes surfaces, débits de boisson...). Cette année, Marjane Holding a créé la surprise. Après l'Aïd, trois de ses magasins n’ont pas ré-ouvert leurs rayons alcool. Et la liste risque de s'allonger. L'information qui avait déjà circulé pendant le mois de ramadan n'avait pas été prise au sérieux par certains fournisseurs et clients de ces hypermarchés, avant qu'ils ne constatent sa véracité de visu, la semaine dernière, au lendemain des fêtes. En tout on parle de sept magasins, à savoir, Derb Soltan, El Massira, Khouribga, Béni Mellal, Aîn Sebaâ, Salé et Morocco Mall.
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1 comment:
So long as the restrictions are limited to the seven outlets listed above this won't be much of a problem as far as tourist visitors are involved.
THREE of the currently five outlets in Casablanca. Of these, two in outlying districts, though I'm surprised at the inclusion of Morocco Mall, the third one. The one at Derb Sultan didn't sell alcohol anyway when I visited a couple of years back.
ONE of the two outlets in Marrakech, however the larger store on the northern outskirts is currently unaffected.
ONE of the three outlets in the Rabat/Sale area.
Khouribga in the middle of the Phosphates Plateau that nobody in their right mind visits.
Beni Mellal (on the N8 between Marrakech and Fez) is one I've shopped at, but not really on the tourist trail.
Not all Marjane stores sold alcohol anyway. Al Hoceima was dry when I visited this year.
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