ABU DHABI // The price of 3,500 staple foods will be fixed by the Government this Ramadan to ensure shoppers are not overcharged.
The Ministry of Economy has held meetings with suppliers of basic commodities such as rice, flour, oil and milk, to ensure there are enough stocks to meet the increase in demand for food during the holy month.
Inspectors will conduct about 350 tours of shops and markets to monitor the cost of these products, while supermarkets will be required to display a detailed list of all 3,500 commodities and their fixed prices.
Dr Hashim Al Nuaimi, director of the Consumer Protection Directorate, said that 500 more commodities were having their prices controlled this Ramadan compared with last year. A further 4,700 essential commodities will be offered at discounts of up to 70 per cent.
The ministry also reached an agreement with cooperatives and supermarkets to install price-reading devices that allow customers to know the price of goods before they get to the checkout. More than 2,200 such scanners have been installed.
Dr Al Nuaimi said the ministry had requested suppliers to increase imports of fruit and vegetable supplies by 30 per cent to guarantee that demand was fully met while ensuring that prices remained constant.
He said daily imports of vegetables and fruit in Dubai during Ramadan were likely to reach 16,000 tonnes, with Abu Dhabi importing another 3,500 tonnes.
The ministry has also launched a website where it will list products that need to be recalled because of defects.
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