The Ministry of Economy has violated a number of outlets and shops for selling disinfectants and sterilization materials due to raising the prices of disinfectants and sterilizers by varying proportions exceeding 30%, after increasing the demand for them in large proportions, during the past period, as a result of the precautionary measures implemented by all government and private entities and companies to combat the Corona virus.
The Director of Competition and Consumer Protection at the Ministry of Economy, Dr. Hashem Al-Nuaimi, said in press statements yesterday that these violations, whose number is currently being counted, came during the inspection campaigns that the ministry recently implemented in the various emirates of the country, in cooperation with the competent authorities, noting that the campaigns Outlets for selling sterilization goods and disinfectants will continue during the coming period, as part of the ministry’s plan to prevent any increase in prices taking advantage of the high demand for these commodities today.
Al-Naimi added that the Ministry’s actions regarding violators and manipulators in the markets come in implementation of the Consumer Protection Law issued in 2006 and its executive regulations for 2007, explaining that the procedures include immediate fines with values ranging between 5000 and 100 thousand dirhams, depending on the size and type of violation, up to the closure in case of repeated The offense itself from the port.
He called on the sales outlets in the country not to raise the prices of sterilization materials, disinfectants and masks with the high demand for them in the current period, pointing out that exploiting the case of high consumer demand for these materials and raising their prices is considered a practice in violation of the provisions of the relevant laws.
Al-Naimi indicated that raising the prices of any food or consumer commodity passes through specific procedures that start by submitting an application from the sales outlet to raise the prices of the commodity, then the Ministry of Economy looks at the reasons and justifications for the increase, and communicates with the supplier and learns the price of the commodity from the source, after which the ministry reports to The Supreme Committee for Consumer Protection to decide on the request, stressing that the price of the commodity is not raised without the formal and written approval of the Supreme Committee for Consumer Protection.
Immediate reporting
The Director of Competition and Consumer Protection at the Ministry of Economy, Dr. Hashem Al-Nuaimi, called on consumers to immediately report any sale point that raises prices.
Al-Naimi stressed the need for consumers to play their supervisory role on the market, especially since the consumer is the first to discover any manipulations or price increases, as it is the party that is negatively affected by this rise.
• Immediate fines of up to 100 thousand dirhams for violators and manipulators in the markets.