Social media users in Kuwait have driven a renewed campaign urging shoppers to avoid fish purchases as a means of pressuring sellers, according to accounts that gained traction in the first week of August 2026. Supporters highlighted what they described as monopolistic practices, speculative trading and unjustified price increases that have strained household budgets, while noting the limited success of government ministries and the Kuwaiti Fishermen’s Union in resolving the situation. Participants in the online discussions argued that coordinated consumer action combined with greater awareness could help moderate costs and bring equilibrium back to the local seafood trade.
Similar boycotts have proven effective in the past, with a 2015 effort forcing vendors to reduce rates after the price of zubaidi reached 15 dinars per kilogram, Arabian Business reported at the time. The 2018 edition of the “Let it Be Spoiled” campaign entered a second day as empty markets and lower demand prompted some traders to cut prices, Gulf News stated in its coverage of the events. These earlier actions, which spread rapidly on social media, illustrate how sustained refusals to buy can influence supplier behavior in Kuwait’s fish markets.
Times Kuwait reported in March 2026 that zubaidi retained its status as the costliest option with an average price of 9.33 dinars per kilogram, generating more than 525,000 dinars from 55,800 kilograms sold. The publication noted sustained consumer preference for this local variety despite the premium attached to it. Such figures underscore the ongoing demand that has kept certain seafood items elevated even as overall market conditions fluctuate.
The Kuwaiti Fishermen’s Union has attributed elevated costs to factors including high operational expenses and robust local demand, a December 2018 Kuwait Times article detailed following a union statement. In response, the union has pursued imports via air freight to supplement supply and gradually ease prices, according to updates shared by the group in subsequent years. Union chairman Abdullah Al-Sarheed has discussed how regular shrimp landings from daily trips have helped moderate prices in that segment.
CNN reported from a Kuwait fish market in March 2026 that regional conflict had restricted fishermen’s sea access, reduced the issuance of permits and lowered both local catches and imported volumes. The broadcast noted that these constraints had left the market with fewer fish overall, contributing to tighter supplies. The coverage highlighted how such disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz area compounded existing pressures on Kuwait’s seafood availability.
Comparable campaigns have appeared periodically across the Gulf, including in Bahrain in 2015 where the “let it rot” slogan similarly called for boycotts until prices eased, multiple regional outlets recorded. The latest Kuwaiti iteration built momentum through Instagram reels and posts in early August 2026 that drew attention to the cost of favored items such as zubaidi and shrimp. Organizers have continued to promote participation as a tool for achieving more affordable market conditions.
