‘Stationery sector reels under COVID-induced uncertainty’

AMMAN — Demand for school stationary and office supplies has taken a sharp dive, due to workplace disruptions, lockdowns, as well as school and university closures, according to a sector representative.

“We are expecting a less favourable situation amid the uncertainty of the pandemic. We still have not observed the changes needed to secure a just recovery,” President of the Stationery and Library and Office Equipment Traders and Manufacturers Association Ashraf Kawar told The Jordan Times on Sunday.

Kawar said that demand for stationery products is at 10 per cent of the annual average. He noted that sales continue to be low given that it is not clear whether the second school semester would be in-class or remote. 

“This year has been the hardest compared to previous years,” Kawar said.

He added that the situation could get worse as more merchants and businesses may announce bankruptcy and significant numbers of employees would lose their jobs.

“It is not easy to find a bright side in the current situation,” he said. The abrupt shift to working from home has strongly impacted the industry, pointing out that paperwork is being actively replaced by digital alternatives.

“Most office-based companies and businesses are now home-based, which means that office buildings are closed. Less paper and less printer, desk and filing supplies are used,” Kawar added.