Foreigners control 80% of shops in Saudi

Asians and other expatriates control nearly 80 per cent of groceries and other small shops in Saudi Arabia, with their annual turn over exceeding SR140 billion ($38 billion), a local report said Saturday.

By the end of 2010, around 200,000 small and medium shops operated in the Gulf kingdom besides nearly 54,000 outlets specialized in foodstuff trade, 'Alriyadh' newspaper said, quoting Yousuf Al Dosari, head of the national commercial commission at the council of Saudi chambers of commerce and industry.

“Foreigners control nearly 80 per cent of all those shops…in case a decision to Saudise small groceries is enforced, this will create over 50,000 jobs for Saudis,” he said.

“I think authorities should seriously consider such a decision because the current situation shows that Saudization is missing and unemployment is rising.”

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