There has been a fall in the sales of diaries, desktop organisers, calendars, coffee mugs, pens and other complimentary items in the local market this year, some industry sources said.
It would take at least two or three more weeks to gauge the real impact of the fall in sales. Attributing the drop mainly to the austerity measures put in place by several top level local institutions and companies, some of the suppliers are worried that demand could fall further next year.
“Most of the inquiries for complimentary goods are made by companies either towards the end of the first half of the year or in the beginning of the second half,” said a senior official of a major public relations firm, which receives orders and supplies goods to several top firms in Qatar. He said budgeting for such goods in every company takes place during June-July.  
Inquiries at the public relations departments of some companies found they had instructions to reduce their spending on complimentary goods.
While some of the companies of the same business groups have joined hands to make their complimentary items available to their customers, there are others who have reduced the number of items in their annual pack, inquiries found.
Most of the complimentary goods supplied in the market are imported either from Indonesia or China. Usually complimentary goods worth several millions are transacted in the local market in December as many small and medium companies go for their purchase in the first 15 days of the month.