In Arad, the Orthodox have reached 'Shufersal': supermarket tightens kashrut - what will happen to prices

The Shufersal chain is converting one of its supermarkets in Arad to the 'Yesh Hesed' format with stricter kashrut. Employees will keep their jobs, but secular residents fear a reduction in product selection and price increases. The format change is linked to the purchase of the shopping center by Gur Hasidim.

The Shufersal chain is converting one of two 'Dil' supermarkets in Arad into a 'Yesh Hesed' format store, targeting the ultra-Orthodox audience. This involves the branch in the old shopping center in the city center. Employees will remain in their positions. The store will sell products with stricter kosher certifications. Secular residents fear a reduction in the usual product range and price increases, especially for meat. Shufersal states that two flagship stores will operate in the city, open to all customers. The format change occurred after businessmen Menachem Kein and Simcha Grinboim, affiliated with the Gur Hasidic movement, purchased the shopping center for 40 million shekels in early 2026. Previously, conflicts arose in this center over demands to remove images of women, leading to intervention by Arad Mayor Yair Maayan. In recent years, the proportion of ultra-Orthodox in the city's population has grown to about 30%.