‘At 84, it’s time to slow down a bit’: Scott’s Supermarket Managing Director confirms downsizing

After more than two decades in operation, Scott’s Supermarket is closing all but one of its outlets – the Żabbar branch.

In an interview with MaltaCEOs.mt, Mr Said opens up about his decision to scale down the business, the personal reasons behind it, and what customers can expect going forward.

“One of the reasons is that I’m 84 years old,” he says with a smile. “So I started thinking about slowing down a bit. In effect, we’re not closing completely, because we’ll be keeping the Żabbar store open.”

Mr Said has been working since the age of 18, having studied in Italy before returning to Malta during the holidays. His career has spanned decades, building Scott’s into a household name in the local supermarket scene.

“I can’t say I’ve had enough, because I haven’t,” he adds. “When there is a public holiday, I'm eager for it to pass so I can get back to work.”

But with time comes change. Mr Said explained that his children – two sons and a daughter – were never pressured into taking over the business. Tragically, his daughter passed away three years ago.

“My sons work very well with me, but they’d like to do their own thing,” he says. “We had this offer, so if the children want to start something of their own from now, with just one shop left, I can handle it on my own.”

Staff to remain, as shops are leased not sold

Mr Said emphasises that the transition will not come at the cost of jobs. The shops that are being handed over to The Convenience Shop have been leased, not sold, as part of a 15-year agreement (five years di fermo and 10 years di rispetto), starting this month.

“The shops we leased to Convenience were handed over with all the staff included, and the rest are staying with us. The staff are very precious to me.”

He admits the change hasn’t been simple. “The process isn’t an easy one – there are a lot of things to sort out, like stock takes and arrangements with suppliers – but in the end, you learn as you go.”

When asked whether external pressures like rising prices, growing competition, and Malta’s 35 per cent tax rate for local retailers played a role, Mr Said responds: “These kinds of decisions are never due to just one reason. There are always many factors.”

Still, Mr Said remains hopeful that loyal customers will continue to support the Żabbar branch.

“I hope people won’t see Żabbar as being too far to come. They’ll find the same staff and the same familiar faces there,” he concludes.