The Director of Competition and Consumer Protection in the Ministry of Economy, Hashem Al-Nuaimi, said that the Ministry is working, in cooperation with sales outlets and cooperative societies, to submit offers and reduce prices of more than 15,000 food and consumer goods during the coming Ramadan season.
In press statements in Abu Dhabi yesterday, Al-Nuaimi expected an increase in the financial allocations provided by outlets and associations during the current year for various offers and discounts during the coming month of Ramadan to 400 million dirhams, compared to 350 million dirhams during the last Ramadan season.
He pointed out that the ministry held several meetings, during the current month, with sales outlets and suppliers in many regions of the state, to develop a plan for Ramadan, which includes providing Ramadan goods, and offering offers and discounts on basic commodities that are frequently used in the month of fasting, while committing to continuing initiatives The previous, and at the forefront of the price stabilization of 6000 items of goods.
To raise prices
Al-Nuaimi warned the sales outlets and cooperative societies against raising the prices of any commodity during the Ramadan season, without official written approval from the Supreme Committee for Consumer Protection, as it is the only body authorized to agree to increase the prices of any commodity after a full study conducted in this regard.
He pointed to the agreement with the sales outlets on the necessity of having a “counter” in every major and subsidiary outlet, in order to monitor the payment funds during peak times in particular, while facilitating and not delaying payments for consumers, while intensifying the development of educational screens inside the outlets, emphasizing the rationalization of consumption It clarifies consumer rights and the importance of communicating with regulatory authorities.
Al-Nuaimi said that the ministry is also working to enhance the implementation of the initiative to provide more price detectors in various outlets, to reduce consumer complaints about the existence of price differences between the sale shelves and the payment fund.
Provide quantities
Al-Naimi confirmed that the suppliers of food and consumer goods in the country pledged, during their meetings with the Ministry of Economy, to provide large quantities of goods before the holy month of Ramadan, to meet the expected demand, while providing discounts that reach some commodities to less than the purchase price.
He pointed out that during the meetings, the ministry learned about the challenges facing the import of goods, and stressed the need to diversify the sources of goods, and will continue to hold meetings with suppliers and sales outlets to develop a plan for dealing with markets during the Ramadan season, and to emphasize the continued offering of Ramadan baskets, and increase their contents and quantities.
The Ministry warned against raising the prices of any commodity during Ramadan without approval.