Consumers consider it misleading.. Officials who sell it refer to the “extra cost” and the reduction in the profit margin.
Price differences exceeding 35% in branches that follow the same outlets
Consumers stressed the importance of unifying prices between outlets.
archival
Consumers confirmed the existence of differences and differences in the prices of some commodities within the branches of the same outlets, with rates exceeding 35%, calling for unifying prices among the outlets’ branches, considering this as exploitation and misleading consumers.
Two officials in two outlets attributed the price differences to the existence of an additional cost of transportation and shipping, especially for goods coming from an emirate, or from storage warehouses to sales outlets in remote areas in the same emirate, or to another emirate, as well as the policy of sales outlets in reducing the margin Profit from selling some commodities in branches that are not in demand, or due to the nature of these branches.
Spreads
Consumer Anwar Gharib said that he found price differences for goods in branches of the same outlet, for reasons he considered unintelligible.
He explained that he bought a type of rice from a branch of a selling outlet at a price of 21 dirhams, but he found the same type in another branch of the outlet in the same emirate for 26 dirhams, an increase of 24%.
Gharib demanded the unification of prices between the branches of the same outlet, and selling at the lowest price, considering the price hike as exploitation and misleading consumers, and wondered about the justifications for the existence of large price differences between the branches of the same outlet.
price consolidation
In turn, the consumer, Ibrahim Mohamed Hassan, considered offering the same commodity at different prices, specifically in the branches of the same outlet, as unjustified and can only be understood within the framework of consumer exploitation.
He confirmed that he had bought a type of sterilizer known for 15.2 dirhams per package, but he found the same type and the same size in another emirate at a price of 20.6 dirhams, an increase of 35.5%.
Hassan agreed on the importance of unifying prices among the outlets' branches, even if the branch is located in another emirate, as well as selling at the lowest price.
vegetables and fruits
As for the consumer, Amina Jumaa, she mentioned that she noticed that there are price differences in a number of types of vegetables and fruits from one branch to another.
She explained that she had bought from a branch of an outlet selling “bananas” of Asian origin at 6.10 dirhams per kilogram, and “zucchini” imported from an Arab country at 10 dirhams per kilogram, but she discovered that the price in another branch of the same outlet amounted to 8.25 dirhams per kilogram of bananas, an increase of more than 35%. And 13 dirhams per kilogram of zucchini, an increase of 30%.
And she continued, "What surprised me greatly was that the goods were of the same origin, and of the same quality, without any significant difference, as well as that they were offered for sale at almost the same time," considering this as an exploitation of consumers, and wondering about the justifications for this, even though the outlet is the same.
In the same context, the consumer, Amr Atef, said that he noticed a difference in the prices of the same commodity between the branches of the outlet in the same emirate, and from one emirate to another, with an increase in the prices of some commodities that exceeded 25%, pointing out that he noticed this in the prices of paper products and varieties of edible oils. .
Additional cost
In addition, Hassan Rizk, the marketing official at a large outlet, attributed the differences in the prices of goods between the branches of the same outlet to the presence of an additional cost of transportation and shipping, especially for goods transported from an emirate, or from storage warehouses to outlets in remote areas in The same emirate, or to another emirate, especially with the increase in transportation and energy prices, and other considerations such as the different prices of services from one emirate to another.
Profit margin
As for the official in another outlet, Muhammad Al-Assaad, he said that sales outlets resort to reducing their profit margin by selling some goods in branches that are not popular, or in remote areas, or due to the nature of these branches that serve certain categories, indicating that sales outlets do not You can practically reduce the profit margin in all branches.
• Sales outlets cannot practically reduce the profit margin in all their branches.
Al-Bahr: What happens to the exploitation of consumers
The retail trade expert and head of Al-Bahr Consulting Company, Ibrahim Al-Bahr, said that the difference in prices between the branches of the same outlet is not justified, stressing that the cost of transportation or the different prices of services do not justify the large difference in prices in this way.
He considered what is happening deliberate exploitation of consumers.
Al-Bahr continued: “It may be acceptable that there is a difference in the prices of some types of vegetables and fruits only, provided that there is a real and noticeable difference in their quality, as the outlet sometimes sells first or excellent vegetables and fruits in branches, at a time when some types are offered at lower prices, It suits the conditions and needs of certain categories, and the main segment of this port’s customers is.”
Al-Bahr once again called on the concerned authorities to tighten control over the various outlets, and to carry out extensive studies of this phenomenon in order to reduce it.
Inspection tours
The Ministry of Economy and local economic authorities announced, during the last period, continuous inspection tours to curb any harmful economic practices and maintain stable price levels.
It called on consumers to communicate with the ministry and local authorities, and to send complaints to take appropriate measures to control the market.
Follow our latest local and sports news and the latest political and economic developments via Google news