The prices of Christmas hampers have shot up this year, making them expensive for middle-class and lower-income individuals.
As the Christmas festive season kicks in, The High Street Journal on Friday took a survey of the central business district in the Greater Accra region. Upon visiting, it was found that some shops were stocked with Christmas hampers while others were not.
At the Makola market, most shops were stocked with items such as biscuits, drinks, Christmas accessories for decorations, firecrackers and rice of different brand and other confectionaries.
Speaking to The High Street Journal, Akweley Ago, a trader in hampers, said the prices of a hamper range from GH¢250 to GH¢1,000, depending on the size, items, decoration, and brands.
“This is often the norm when it is an election year. But due to economic challenges, the prices of things have changed. This is because comparing this year to the previous year, the prices of hampers have really gone up,” she said.
Further, upon visiting the Lapaz community in the Okaikwei north constituency, it was observed that many small businesses have displayed several Christmas hampers on sale as at 9:45pm on Friday, however, despite the time and economic conditions, passerby’s trooped in to buy hampers of various sizes.
Speaking to one passerby, he said he could no make a purchase of the hampers because they were expensive. “A small hamper is going for GH¢500, how can we buy?” For me, because of the uncertainty of how the economy will run next year, I am very cautious about my spending”, he said.
The High Street Journal also observed that most commercial buildings including that of banks, shops, and restaurants have been decorated with Christmas lighting fixtures.
However, most traders bemoaned the use of technology as online shopping takes over the usual traditional shopping during Christmas. People shop online without the need to travel to the markets to buy, therefore causing low patronage of Christmas presents this year.
Nonetheless, economic factors and technology has made purchasing of Christmas gifts more cumbersome than ever before because, families and friends could send money to relatives abroad without having to travel overseas. Also online video calls also allow loved ones to communicate via social networks.
However, Christmas hampers which is one of the old ways of gifting people have become expensive and unconditional for many individuals.
