Image revamp for the popular open markets

The Maltese love a bargain and there is no better place to hone one’s bargaining skills than in the various open markets found in the different towns and villages. Open markets have existed since the Middle Ages and traditionally were associated with the sale of fresh food and artisan wares. But today one can buy various household items in such markets including electronic goods, DVDs, music CDs and a lot more.

The largely unregulated nature of open markets has often given them a bad image with consumers and also retailers operating from fixed shops where stricter regulations prevail. The recent White Paper proposing “better organisation in the best interest of sellers, consumers and people residing in the neighbourhood areas” where open markets are held is therefore a welcome development.

The EU insistence that “there should be an equal playing field for market operators” may have been behind the publication of the White Paper. Too often, illegal practices that prevail in some open markets, including the sale of pirated DVDs and music CDs, affect negatively honest traders who sell original products that are more expensive than the copied items because of the copyright costs.

Other practices that need to be addressed include the necessary controls to ensure that food products sold in open markets are not only of good quality but are prepared in a hygienic way and stored in a clean environment. It is common to find freshly-picked fruit and vegetables, fresh fish, meat, flowers, cheeses, bread and much more in such markets. Unless food controls are strict, consumers cannot be assured that what they are buying is good for them.

To ensure that such controls are effective it is imperative that stall owners are held accountable for the management of their stalls and the service they give to their customers. The Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business, Jason Azzopardi says the licensing process will be overhauled so that hawkers, rather than their vehicles, are licensed to trade in open markets.

The White Paper also promotes the transfer of the adminstration of the open markets from the central government to local councils. This should ensure that the various provisions contemplated in the new law will be enforced more effectively for the benefit of traders and consumers. Regular spot checks by council officials should be aimed at making sure that the conditions of the licences granted to hawkers are being respected.

During the period of consultation there will undoubtedly be some very valid suggestions on how the image of open markets can be revamped to ensure that they continue to be a vibrant aspect of Maltese social life and also an added attraction to visitors. One risk that should be avoided in this process is that of over-regulating the markets.

This process should not be about raising more money out of licences granted to operators in such markets but about making open markets a more rewarding and pleasant experience for those who visit them. The 1,670 stalls in 14 open markets are in their majority managed by sole traders or micro businesses that cannot handle too much bureaucracy and the increased operating costs that such bureaucracy often entails. So, new regulations should be kept simple and primarily aimed at improving the service given to customers who frequent open markets.

The success of the farmers’ market in Ta’ Qali augurs well for this new initiative aimed at giving open markets a new lease of life.