Supreme Council for Consumer Protection examines the initiative "The daily consumer basket on the shelves of sales outlets"

The Supreme Committee for Consumer Protection discussed a proposal on the “consumer basket” initiative for basic food commodities, which aims to define a number of basic commodities and commodities with which the consumer deals on a daily basis and endeavor to put an end to the increase in the costs of selling it on the shelves of the outlets and cooperative societies.

The Minister of Economy, Engineer Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, said that controlling markets and preventing any unjustified increases in consumer goods prices is a priority on the agenda of the Higher Committee for Consumer Protection, noting that the committee works in cooperation and partnership with the relevant authorities at the federal and local levels as well as with the private sector to adopt Initiatives that protect the interest of the consumer and also ensure the integrity of commercial transactions in the markets for the benefit of all parties concerned.

Al-Mansouri affirmed the committee’s keenness during its meetings to address all issues that occupy the interests of consumers and keep abreast of technological changes that occur in activities and commercial transactions in markets.

This came during the fourth meeting of the Supreme Committee for Consumer Protection for the year 2019, which was chaired by the Minister of Economy - Chairman of the Committee Eng. Sultan bin Saeed Al-Mansouri, in the presence of the Undersecretary of the Ministry for Economic Affairs Eng. Muhammad Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Shehhi, and the Assistant Undersecretary for Commercial Affairs Sector Hamid bin Butti Al-Muhairi. The Director of Competition and Consumer Protection at the Ministry, Dr. Hashem Al-Nuaimi, and a selection of representatives of federal and local government agencies who are members of the committee.

The proposal for the daily consumer basket included 11 basic groups of the most important materials and commodities that are used on a daily basis, to discuss ways to give preferences to these goods in sales outlets and cooperative societies to achieve more stability and balance in the consumer goods market and enhance the positive impact on consumers.

The proposed food basket groups include bread and grains and their products, meat, fish and seafood, milk, cheese and eggs, oils and fats, fruits, vegetables, sugar, jam and sweets, tea, coffee and cocoa, mineral and carbonated water and juices.

In this regard, the Supreme Committee recommended that a dialogue be opened in this regard with the major sales outlets to implement it gradually and ensure that prices are not raised for the goods chosen by the suppliers.

In addition to that, the committee reviewed within its agenda, new procedures for the development of recall and recovery of goods, which take place when the goods are proven not to conform to the approved standard specifications, and the new procedures include the addition of an electronic service to track recovery after its announcement and confirmation of its completion and documentation, while developing additional mechanisms To inform consumers of the summons campaigns, and also to set up a mechanism to receive consumer complaints in the event of a defect in the sold goods, in cooperation with the competent authorities in the state, especially the Standards and Metrology Authority.

His Excellency Al-Mansoori stressed the importance of summons campaigns that serve the state’s efforts in protecting public health and safety, reducing commercial fraud, and ensuring enhanced quality and competitiveness of goods in the state’s markets.

The committee also discussed a clause regarding the importance of setting a policy for the conditions stipulated in some contracts that take place between the merchant and the consumer, in light of the inclusion in some contracts of unfair terms for consumers while obliging them to sign them to obtain the required service, the most prominent of which are contracts for organizing weddings, which Sometimes it includes conditions for prepayment of financial amounts and the non-refunding of any payments or amounts previously paid in the event of any difference in the contract.

The committee recommended the formation of a team of its members to set general standards for many professions in which the merchant and the consumer are agreed to conclude contracts without consulting the competent authorities.

The committee also dealt with the procedures required to coordinate with all economic development departments and other concerned authorities to implement Cabinet Resolution No. 61 of 2019 regarding the UAE system for the requirements of a vehicle repair center and vehicle service centers, where the Supreme Committee had discussed the importance of preparing a standard specification for workshops in the UAE and setting standards To classify all repair shops and service centers for vehicles according to the 5-star system. This decision was issued by the esteemed cabinet on organizing these workshops because of its positive impact on consumers in the country.

In addition to that, the committee reviewed the developments related to the implementation of the recommendations of previous meetings regarding the application of the use of the Arabic language in outlets and shops, the development of electronic commerce in major sales outlets and the encouragement of the commercial sector to activate more to deal with electronic commerce, and members of the committee were also briefed on the Food and Agriculture Organization index Food (FAO), inflation index, and recovery report.