Pakistan's early market closure rule cuts daily retail transactions by 42%, Ipsos study finds

An Ipsos survey presented by the Chainstore Association of Pakistan found that the 9 pm shop-closing rule coincided with a 42% drop in average daily transactions per retail outlet, from 86 to 50. Retailers reporting good sales fell from 79% to 34%, while those describing profitability as high declined from 67% to 26%. The research covered 300 retailers, 1,046 consumers and 25 industry stakeholders in 10 cities, with fieldwork conducted in August and September 2026.

Evidence of lower electricity costs was limited: 41% of retailers said their utility bills had fallen, although 56% believed the restrictions met their energy-saving goal. Businesses responded by opening earlier, expanding online sales or reducing staff, while consumers reported fewer shopping trips and greater difficulty finding time to shop. Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa removed the restrictions on May 16, 2026; the 9 pm rule remained in Punjab, Islamabad and Balochistan during the survey.