From the parliament to the market: political consumerism and the fight for Sabbath

The Ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) community is one of the poorest sectors in Israel but because of the large families in the community, often more than eight children, the sector is an important target for food and other retail companies. Retailers’ efforts to reach the Haredi communities included special chain stores with strict levels of Kashrut (Jewish dietary laws), low cost products, large packages for big families and dress codes of store staff that promise a comfortable, modest atmosphere for the religious consumers. The competition between retailers over the Haredi market, however, has given the community new power it could use either for economic bargaining or for the enforcement of religious rules. Thus, retailers have at times to maintain strict religious rules not only vis-à-vis the Haredi sector but also in other operations in Israel.