MUSCAT: Retail giant Lulu Group International has waived the rental obligations for its retailers, present across its hypermarket properties in Oman, during the temporary closure period, due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the company said on Saturday.

A spokesperson for Lulu Hypermarkets confirmed that the tenants have been informed about this announcement several weeks ago and stated, “The Sultanate, together with the rest of the world, is going through a challenging time that requires everyone’s participation to overcome this unprecedented situation. As we are one of the largest hypermarket properties in the Sultanate and host a variety of retailers, we understand that their businesses have also been affected by the imposed closure. Since a majority of these tenants also fall within the SMEs category, they are unable to withstand situations like these for a long period of time. Therefore, we decided to support them by waiving the rental costs for tenancies, during the impacted period.”

“We are pleased to acknowledge and respond to the call from governmental authorities, including the Supreme Committee for Dealing with COVID-19 and the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, especially with regard to rendering support towards small and medium business enterprises. This is in accordance with our commitment to implement necessary measures in line with their decisions. We are confident that together, we will be able to overcome this difficult period and work towards building a more prosperous future for the Sultanate and its citizens and residents,” he added