BUYERS SHUN TRADITIONAL MARKETS

Tangerang, Feb 1 (ANTARA) - Buyers in Tangerang district, Banten, shunned a number of local traditional markets which were unable to compete with surrounding mini markets and kiosks.

PD Kerta Raharja Market spokesman Dedy Supriyadi said here on Monday that the buyers in Tangerang prefer to go shopping at mini markets or shopping malls to traditional markets because they were less competitive in attracting the buyers.

"The traditional markets in Tangerang are dirty because the traders there have lack of attention to cleanliness. Consequently the buyers do not like to do the shopping there and go to more convenient markets instead," Dedy said.

According to him, the buyers had shunned at least 50 percent of traditional markets in Tangerang, and thus the traders there found it difficult to pay in installment the kiosks which they have bought.

Dedy said the markets which had not many customers or sales are among others the traditional markets of Teluk Naga, Kelapa Dua, Cituis, Korelet, Kutabumi, Kronjo, Cisoka, Sepatan, and Mauk.

To overcome the slack business in those markets and to re-attract the customers, Dedy said he was preparing market management concept especially the matter of cleanliness.

He pointed out that Sepatan market has 300 kiosks but only half of them are occupied by the traders while the rests were empty.

A similar situation also prevailed at the at the Kutabumi market which has 460 kiosks but only 250 of them were used by the traders.