Saudi Arabia is actively working to integrate informal retail into its broader economic framework. The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing launched the Basta Khair initiative during Ramadan, partnering with 17 regional municipalities to regulate and empower over 600 street vendors across the Kingdom.
Quick Facts
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Supported 600 informal street vendors across Saudi Arabia.
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Set a Guinness World Record using 529 vendor tables.
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Engaged 15 children in a youth commerce program.
Structuring Saudi Arabia’s Informal Retail Economy
The rollout of Basta Khair represents a calculated move to transition informal sellers into a safe, structured, and legally recognized operational environment. By allocating licensed municipal locations and deploying specific training programs, the project improves both operational efficiency and end-product quality for micro-merchants.
Princess Noujoud bint Hathloul bin Abdulaziz, General Supervisor of the Street Vendors File, stated that heavy public engagement underscores a real market need to organize this vital sector. She emphasized that the ongoing work aims to ensure long-term economic sustainability, aligning directly with Vision 2030’s mandate to enable micro-enterprises and support vulnerable economic groups.
Achieving Global Recognition and Youth Activation
The Eastern Province Municipality utilized the initiative’s scale to secure a Guinness World Record. Organizers assembled 529 tables at King Abdullah Park in Dammam to form the Basta Khair logo. Rather than serving as a temporary installation, these tables are being distributed to active street vendors and charities to establish formal retail points.
Regional authorities also utilized the program to foster early-stage entrepreneurial thinking. In Buraidah, the Qassim Municipality hosted a “Future Merchant” activation, allowing more than 15 young children to experience direct consumer sales and learn basic business mechanics.
About Basta Khair
Basta Khair is a socioeconomic program initiated by the Saudi Ministry of Municipalities and Housing. Coordinated alongside 17 municipalities, the project provides informal street vendors with licensed workspaces, training, and operational support to integrate them into the formal national economy.
Source: Sabq
