Those who were not on the meadow of Rock Werchter, or in front of the television before the Tour, may have been shopping last weekend to take advantage of the first summer discounts. The first bargain hunters signed up in time to make their move on the Meir. Not the big crowd yet, but it was already busy enough. The saleswomen at Cotton Club think so too. “It has been busy all weekend and we are very happy with the turnover, but it is not a real surprise yet”, Lirie and Neda say in unison.
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“Occasionally it is a little more hectic in the store, but that’s just how it goes in the sales.” According to Neda, it is mainly people who go on holiday who still want to pick up some bargains. “The bikinis and bathing suits are doing very well. Those holidaymakers quickly come to buy before they leave. For the rest, all the summer clothes are doing well. The nice weather also helps, of course,” says the saleswoman.
Shopping as an outing
According to the Neutral Syndicate for the Self-Employed, now that the corona measures no longer apply, we will again shop with the family or the family and make it a real trip again. This is also the case with Jonathan (30), Yentl (33) and Matthieu (6) from Lippelo. “We are here with a friend today. He is leaving for Ibiza soon and needed some clothes for that holiday. We didn’t actually know that the sales had already started. We came mainly because it’s Sunday shopping in Antwerp again and to enjoy the city again,” says Yentl.
Jonathan (30), Matthieu (6) and Yentl (33) — © Joris Herregods
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Like many passers-by on the Meir, the family mainly carries bags from the cheap Primark chain. “You don’t really have to do it there for the discounts. Whether something costs 2 euros or 2.30 euros, I will not stop there. Sales only really add value to me in the winter, when you need a more expensive jacket or good shoes.”
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Shopping with colleagues
Those who didn’t necessarily come for the sales are colleagues Neil Pormento (37) and Roger Martinez (33), who work at Katoennatie. They are waiting on a couch for their four other colleagues who are still in a shop. “We thought it would be fun to go shopping with the men from work, but we didn’t know that the sales had already started. I’ve only been living in Belgium for a few months and discovered Primark a month ago. It’s so cheap there that discounts aren’t really necessary,” says Neil.
–Colleague’s Neil Pormento (37) on Roger Martinez (33). — © Joris Herregods
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One of their friends arrived in Belgium from the Philippines yesterday. He immediately gets a baptism of fire on the Meir today. “In the Philippines you don’t have a lot of really big stores. If you want to go shopping, you can only do so in shopping centers and not really outside. Also the concept of sales is not that popular there. We think it’s fun to shop here,” says Roger.
Don’t sell everywhere
There are also more and more (especially smaller) entrepreneurs who consciously choose not to participate in the sales and the consumption drive that comes with it. At Jacob’s Conceptstore, where four local entrepreneurs sell their products together, there are no bargains to be found. “We are all small-scale companies under one roof and we do not have overproduction or a lot of stock. That is why it is not interesting for us to sell our products very cheaply,” says Usra Ouzayou (24) who sells scented candles in the concept store.
–Usra Ouzayou of Jacob’s Concept Store. — © Joris Herregods
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“I worked at Kruidvat as a student. The sales there were very hectic. That’s how it works in large chains. They have to get rid of their overstock and that is very busy. I like it better this way, in our concept store. We can take advantage of the greater passage on the Meir through the sales, but can still sell our products at correct prices. Ideal.”
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