Pilgrims in Mecca feel strain of rising prices

Pilgrims shopping in Mecca ahead of the annual haj said rising prices for gifts, jewellery and everyday goods were weighing on their spending, as global economic disruptions pushed up costs in markets near Islam's holiest site.

Markets near the Grand Mosque were crowded with pilgrims browsing shops, sandwich bars, jewellery stores and street vendors selling clothes, but some visitors said their money was not going as far as in previous years.

The war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have led to supply chain shocks and an increase in the price of oil that has had knock-on effects across the world economy, with prices of many goods increasing.

"I performed Hajj last year, and this year I feel a great difference regarding prices due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz," said Mohammed Abdulrahman, a pilgrim from Somalia. "This increase impacted the whole world, not just here."

Omar Mohammed Mahmoud, a pilgrim from Egypt, said he had gone shopping for gifts but found prices higher than expected.

"When I used to buy things here, the prices were a bit better," he said. "Even the prices of gold, silver, and perfumes, all the prices felt higher than usual."

Jewellery shop worker Mohammed Wahzan said demand for silver had fallen after prices rose.

"Demand has decreased, not like before," he said.

Another shopper said purchasing power was weaker than in past years, adding that pilgrims who once bought many items were now buying less because of higher prices.

But not all pilgrims said the turmoil was on their minds while in Mecca.

"It's like a bubble," said Asia Moosh, a pilgrim from France. "We don't hear about politics and all those problems, and the war is far from here."

Production: Haider Kadhim, Mohammed Benmansour, Imad Creidi/Reuters