Supermarkets in Kenya record drop of sales as sugar crisis continues to bite

Customers were amazed to find stands usually filled with sugar empty in this supermarket in Kakamega town. PHOTO: CHRISPEN SECHERE/STANDARD

KAKAMEGA: Sugar crisis in the country has continued to bite as supermarkets record drop of sales of other retailed products.

A spot check by the Standard noted that most of major chain stores in Kakamega including Tuskys and Nakumatt were missing sugar stokes in their shelves.

Some of the brands that could not be seen were: Kabras, from West Kenya, Mumias Sugar, Nzioa Sugar and Butali sugar.

The case was same in other supermarkets in Mumias, Busia and Bungoma towns. For instance at Tuskys, they had absolutely nothing, even their own brand was not on the shelves. Sales Coordinator Jesse Gitonga said lack of sugar has impacted on sales negatively.

"Most of customers pick trolleys, pack other things reaches the sugar location, on realizing there is nothing, the customer leaves whatever they had shopped and walks out because they expect to get everything they want at a particular supermarket," he said.

"What is disturbing is that western is known to be major producer of sugar but there is no sugar and we have not received any communication from them on what is causing the shortage," he maintained.

At Nakumatt Midtown in Kakamega sugar was available but prices changed from Sh250 per 2kg to Sh290, customers are also not allowed to buy more than 2 kilograms.

"We are losing customers because of lack of sugar, this has affected the sale of other products drastically for two weeks," said Jumba Edwin, the personnel in charge of marketing at Nakumatt.

However, Butali Sugar Factory allayed fears of a sugar crisis in the country saying there is enough to serve consumers for a while.

Dan Kiyondi, the Finance Manager said their stores have 20,000 bags.