Sixty retail outlets across Qatar are currently operating 24 hours a day to help stabilise markets and ensure smooth supply chains, a senior officer at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) said.

Assistant Undersecretary for Consumer Affairs at the Ministry, Hassan Sultan Al-Ghanem, told Qatar TV that the government has taken a number of proactive measures and activated emergency procedures to mitigate the impact of the current situation.

He said the number of outlets operating 24 hours initially stood at 22 but has now reached 60. Al-Ghanem added that the Ministry coordinated with retail outlets at the start of the situation, with many agreeing to operate around the clock to meet increased demand.

In addition, about 20 water factories are currently operating around the clock, along with several bakeries that have extended working hours to meet increased demand for baked goods during the holy month of Ramadan. He noted that field inspection teams are conducting round-the-clock monitoring of markets, issuing inspection orders daily for major, medium and small outlets. The inspections are carried out by teams from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in coordination with the Ministry of Municipality, he said.