Consumers in Abu Dhabi reported that many outlets and cooperative societies are witnessing limited offers and discounts, especially on poultry, fresh meat, vegetables and fruits, despite the approaching month of Ramadan.

They told «Emirates Today» that Ramadan offers focused on commodities that are large in size, or that contain a large number of units, indicating that there is difficulty in benefiting from them, especially since there are no feasts during the next Ramadan, as an application of social divergence due to the Corona virus.

For their part, officials attributed the two outlets, the high prices of some commodities, especially meat, to the increase in freight costs, which made it difficult to obtain large quantities of them in the offers, as well as the speed of their depletion with the increased demand on them by consumers.

A tour of Emirates Today showed a number of major outlets in Abu Dhabi that a few of them offered discounts on poultry, fresh meat, vegetables and fruits. The tour also showed that most of the offers focused on large-sized commodities, or that include a large number of units.

Wanted items

In detail, the consumer, Aisha Youssef, said that she noticed in many branches of outlets and associations in Abu Dhabi, the lack of discounts and Ramadan offers on poultry, fresh meat, vegetables and fruits, although it is one of the most requested goods during the month of Ramadan, noting that many of the outlets Suffice it to launch offers in one or two branches, at best, from its branches in the city.

And demanded to offer concrete discounts and offers on those items and increase them, especially in the context of current conditions.

Youssef added that the discounts on food commodities focus on the large sizes of them, or that include a large number of units, noting that such offers are not suitable for medium or small families, which makes many families unable to benefit from them, especially since there are no feasts. During the coming Ramadan, due to social distancing, he ensured precautionary measures to counter the emerging corona virus.

She explained that she had found tangible discounts on types of creamy cheese and powdered milk at rates of up to 40%, but she stated that she could not purchase them because of their large size, especially as such products are perishable.

Cuts

In turn, the consumer, Ismail Abdullah, said that he searched in several branches of outlets in Abu Dhabi for offers of discounts for meat, poultry, vegetables and fruits, because he needed to buy quantities of them before the start of Ramadan, but he found them few.

He stated that he noticed that there are discounts on some commodities exceeding 40%, but they are discounts on large sizes and commodities that include a large number of units, pointing out that he found great discounts on tomato paste and goods used in Ramadan such as "jelly" and "cream caramel" However, he stated that he did not take advantage of these offers because her products will expire before they are consumed, given their large number.

Abdullah called for offering discounts on many items in various outlets, to facilitate consumers in these circumstances, and to take into account the discounts directed to medium and small families.

The consumer, Nabil Labib, also called for increasing the discounts on the most consumed and demanded goods during the month of Ramadan, especially meat, poultry, vegetables and fruits, and he said that many of the existing discounts are on food and consumer goods of large sizes, or with large units such as "soup" and " Noodles, cream, tomato paste and jelly.

Increased consumption

For his part, the sales official at an outlet in Abu Dhabi, Idris Ibrahim, said that Manafeth had offered discounts on a number of items of meat and poultry, but it ran out quickly due to the purchase of large quantities of them to increase consumption in Ramadan. He added that there are discounts on a large number of large-sized commodities, pointing out that large commodities allow discounts of up to 50%, unlike other commodities on which discounts are less.

In the same context, the official in another outlet, Hassan Abdel-Razzaq, considered that the high prices of some commodities, especially meat, due to the high costs of shipping, which make it difficult to provide large quantities in offers, and considered that the purchase of large-sized goods is in the interest of consumers, because they are reduced Great for other goods.

Offers

It is noteworthy that the Ministry of Economy previously stated that it is working, in cooperation with sales outlets and cooperative societies in the country, to submit offers and reduce prices for more than 15,000 food and consumer goods during the next Ramadan season, noting the importance of discounts on basic commodities. The ministry demanded that the cuts be concentrated in the basic commodities that consumers accept during Ramadan.

Stimulate sales

Retail expert, Ibrahim Al-Bahr, stressed the importance of having offers on meat, vegetables and fruits, given the high prices during the last period, surprising the lack of offers on local poultry, and even higher prices for some of them by up to 20%, calling for tighter controls to return their prices to previous levels.

Al-Bahr said that he supports discounts for large-sized commodities, to reduce the number of times going shopping during the current circumstances, provided there is a validity ranged between one and two years, with discounts on regular goods to provide options for consumers, noting that these discounts help to stimulate sales at outlets and associations.

The offers focused on commodities that are large in size, or that contain a large number of units.