UAE to reduce prices of 30,000 food items during Ramadan, Ministry of Economy says

Staples such as rice, flour, sugar, meat, fish and juices will be available at 25 to 75 per cent discount

Carrefour is among major retailers in the UAE that will reduce prices on certain items during the holy month. Photo: Victor Besa / The National 

The UAE will reduce the prices of 30,000 food items during Ramadan, the Ministry of Economy said on Sunday.

Staples such as rice, flour, sugar, meat, fish and juices will be available at lower cost.

Discounts will range from 25 to 75 per cent across 900 outlets in the country.

The ministry also said officials will clamp down on unfair price increases during the holy month.

Officers will carry out 420 inspections to ensure grocery stores and businesses follow the rule.

Marwan Al Sboosi, director of the competition and consumer protection department at the Ministry of Economy, laid out the strategy at a briefing on Sunday.

He said ministry officials had met and warned traders against price hikes.

“These meetings were aimed at raising the level of communication and co-ordination with all suppliers and traders; exchanging information on markets that are exporting to the country; and reviewing their plans to ensure the availability of goods and meet the needs of the markets,” Mr Al Sboosi said.

“The discussions focused on preparations for Ramadan, ensuring stability of prices and preventing any unjustified price hikes.”

Mr Al Sboosi said officers met with representatives of fruit and vegetable markets in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to ensure enough food was available during Ramadan.

Dubai imports around 17,000 tonnes of fruit and vegetables daily, while in Abu Dhabi the total is nearly 5,000 tonnes, the ministry said.

Mr Al Sboosi said 615 inspection tours have been carried out in the past three months.

Of these, 282 inspections were to monitor the quality of goods, price and labelling.

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