Consumers reported that there is a 30% increase in the price of meals and drinks sold in some open mobile car outlets compared to restaurants and cafes that offer the same meals and drinks, demanding that the prices of these outlets be reduced to attract more consumers.

For their part, two managers in two open sales outlets attributed this to the increase in rental prices and the high cost of the product to be of high quality.

While the Emirates Consumer Protection Association confirmed to Emirates Today, the consumer should inquire about the prices and request the menu provided by the outlets to check the prices before ordering any meals, the Ministry of Economy said that it adopts the prices provided by traders and restaurant owners without interfering in determining them.

Meals

In detail, Salem Mohammed Hamad, a consumer, said that he and two of his friends went to one of the new open food outlets in the country and asked for fast food, but were surprised that the value of the bill exceeded AED 430, pointing out that the prices of those meals in restaurants reduced by up to 30 % Of their prices in open ports.

Hamad asked why the prices of these outlets are soaring, calling for lowering their prices so as to attract more consumers, especially young people.

drinks

Consumers Ahmed Rashid Obaid said that when he and a few of his friends ordered some regular drinks in open outlets, he was surprised that the bill exceeded 220 dirhams, stressing that the price of those drinks is much lower in other restaurants and cafes. He explained that the increase in prices in open ports ranges between 25 and 30%, calling for lower prices and tightening control by the concerned authorities.

Consumers Sheikha Sultan said that she noted that prices in general are relatively high in the new open outlets in the proportion of between 25 and 30% compared to restaurants, which is the exact opposite of what was expected exactly and equal in that regular meals and fast drinks, saying that this limits the The ability of these outlets to attract more consumers.

Increase your cost

For their part, two senior executives at two outlets, said that the high rental prices and the high cost of the product to be of high quality, have the biggest role in determining the prices of the outlets of meals and drinks, especially since the experience is still relatively new.

The two directors, who did not want to be named, added that there was an attempt by the outlet owners to balance the cost of operation and prices to attract more consumers, with strong competition in the food and beverage market in general.

Consumer Culture

Chairman of the Emirates Consumer Protection Association, Mohammed Al Muhairi, said that the association is following with great interest all the comments or complaints from consumers regarding the outlets for food or drink, pointing out that some consumers complained about the high prices of meals in the outlets. Open, especially fast food along with drinks sold in some outlets.

Al-Muhairi stressed the importance of the consumer enjoying a conscious consumer culture that makes him choose what suits him and what suits his financial potential whether from the outlets that offer their meals at lower prices or through promotional offers.

He stressed that the consumer should inquire about the prices and request the menu provided by the outlets, to check the prices before he starts ordering the dishes he wants.

determining prices

For his part, Director of the Consumer Protection Department at the Ministry of Economy, Dr. Hashem Al-Naimi, said that the ministry adopts the prices provided by the owners of restaurants and merchants as they are.

He added that although the ministry did not interfere in setting prices, the owners of restaurants and cafes are fully bound by the prices they set and approved by the ministry.

Al Nuaimi warned that raising prices without the approval of the ministry will result in fines ranging from 5000 to 100,000 dirhams, and may even reach the closure of the facility in case of repeated violations several times.

Open market

Chairman of the Emirates Society for Consumer Protection Mohammed Al Muhairi said that the UAE, by virtue of its open market, has a wide variety of options for consumers who should be aware of the consumer culture and know the prices well instead of facing embarrassment or talk here and there about the high prices. The available options allow all segments to take their food needs easily due to the variety of outlets that sell food and others.

Al-Muhairi called on consumers who visit tourist places to check the value of the extra fees that are usually added to the bills, pointing out the importance of consumers not also circulating rumors related to restaurants without checking the information from official and reliable sources in the country and not through social networking sites that often Releases unreliable or at best exaggerated news.