Consumers demanded the concerned authorities to tighten control over sales outlets, and to violate those that seek to mislead consumers through unrealistic offers.
They assured «Emirates Today» that outlets offer offers for discounts for goods and products at prices they say are discounted, but they offer them at prices that exceed the original price, at a time when two executives at the two outlets acknowledged that there were errors in pricing some offers, with their change weekly, considering this to be a possibility.
Consumer complaints
In detail, the consumer, Amr Fahmy, said that he bought from a large outlet a special offer of tissue paper for 28 dirhams, and discovered the next day that it was sold in another outlet for only 13 dirhams, while its price was not displayed in a third outlet of 22 dirhams.
Fahmy considered the first offer misleading consumers, asking the concerned authorities to tighten control and violate the sales outlet.
For its part, consumer Reem Abdel-Rahman Salem said that she bought from the outlets an offer that includes three food packages and the fourth piece for free at 23 dirhams, and found it at another outlet without an offer of 18.25 dirhams. And demanded to take strict measures against violators, and support oversight of offers from the departments of the sales outlets themselves.
The consumer Salah Hussein agreed with his counterparts in the unrealistic offers, saying that he bought an offer for a type of sterilizer for 70 dirhams, writing on his cover “20% discount”, confirming that he found the sterilizer himself in another outlet that sold for 57.75 dirhams without an offer.
Pricing errors
In addition, the sales official at a sales outlet, Rajiv Tamara, said that errors in the pricing of offers are on the table with the large number of offers and the change of offers weekly, especially on weekends.
He added, "May cause confusion to some consumers, due to the similarity in the names of products, packaging, or packages of some goods, despite the difference in the brand, calling on consumers to inform the management of the sales outlet if this is repeated, to verify prices and resolve the complaint."
The sales executive of the sales outlet, Muhammad Al-Asaad, agreed that unintentional errors occurred by the employees of the sales outlets, considering that this is possible with the large number of offers and the speed of changing them.
He said, "Errors may occur as a result of the similarity of the types of the commodity itself, or from other commodities, with different prices and trademarks."
Price control
To that, retail expert, Davy Nagpal, called for appointing officials in the outlets departments, their main task is to check the prices of commodities, especially the special offers before launching, and to constantly survey consumers' satisfaction with prices, to support consumer confidence, and thus increase sales.
He pointed out that errors occur in entering the commodity data, or in its “barcode” is a possibility, and may be unintended and result from speed, lack of focus, inefficiency or experience of the employee, but it harms the sales outlets themselves, their reputation, and may lead to a loss Customers and confidence is declining if repeated.
Nagpal stressed the need to take measures against violating outlets, as this is commercial fraud, in the context of controlling the market and maintaining the prevailing price levels.
In addition, the Ministry of Economy stated that the verification of the validity of the offers submitted by the sales outlets, and their approval after validating them, is the responsibility of the local economic departments.
The Ministry called on consumers to keep bills related to these goods, submit complaints to the local departments, or the Ministry of Economy, for investigation and take the necessary measures against violators.
Abu Dhabi Economy: setting unrealistic prices “commercial fraud”
The Department of Economic Development in Abu Dhabi considered that setting unrealistic prices a violation that falls under commercial fraud and non-compliance with consumer rights, and it also falls under providing consumers with inaccurate information about goods and services.
She explained that the penalties start from the graduated financial fines, and reach the closure, according to the violations of economic activities in the emirate.
The department asked shoppers to keep bills and send complaints to verify the complaint and sign violations.