Significant Availability of Goods and Products
155,218 Inspection Rounds in 2025 Resulted in 7,702 Violations
Violations Can Lead to Fines Up to 100,000 Dirhams and Temporary Closures
130 Product Recall Requests Resulted in the Return of 551,976 Items
627 Main Retail Outlets Linked to the Electronic Price Monitoring System
In a briefing held at its Dubai headquarters, the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, led by His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, highlighted its new initiatives to strengthen price oversight on products and services during Ramadan, ensuring consumer rights are protected.
The ministry stated that price reductions from numerous cooperatives and retailers have reached nearly 50%.
His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri emphasized that nine categories of essential consumer goods will be closely monitored during Ramadan, with price increases only permitted upon prior approval from the Ministry of Economy and Tourism and relevant authorities. These goods include cooking oils, eggs, milk, rice, sugar, poultry, vegetables, bread, and wheat.
During the briefing, he remarked: “The Ministry of Economy and Tourism has accelerated national efforts in coordination with concerned governmental bodies at both federal and local levels, particularly through the Consumer Protection Higher Committee, enhancing communication and collaboration with the cooperative sector, private sector stakeholders, to elevate compliance with consumer protection regulations across all retail outlets.”
Strong Regulatory Framework
His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri continued: “This initiative is underscored by Federal Decree Law No. 5 of 2023, which amends specific provisions of Law No. 15 of 2020 concerning consumer protection, along with its executive regulations. Together, they mark a pivotal step in developing the regulatory framework, establishing a balanced relationship between suppliers and consumers through over 43 obligations for suppliers ensuring the highest consumer protection standards.”
Strategic Stockpile
He stated: “The strategic stockpiles in the UAE are highly efficient and comprehensive, guaranteeing sustained supply over the long term.
The markets are experiencing substantial availability of goods and products, particularly strategic items, as the ministry strives to meet all consumer needs, ensuring accessibility without unjustifiable price increases.”
He added: “The UAE adopts optimal policies to secure a strategic stockpile of all essential goods needed by citizens, residents, and visitors, maintaining ample supplies for extended periods, backed by clear directives and unlimited support from the nation’s leadership.”
Inspection Efforts
His Excellency highlighted the ministry’s efforts to enhance price monitoring in local markets throughout Ramadan, notably through regular inspections to ensure a sufficient supply of essential commodities without price hikes, in cooperation with local economic development departments and suppliers across all Emirates. The ministry plans to conduct 420 inspection rounds and field visits to retail outlets during Ramadan to oversee pricing and compliance with pricing policies, swiftly addressing any illegal violations.
Monitoring and Oversight
Additionally, the ministry’s teams will monitor initiatives from various cooperatives and retailers regarding price reduction campaigns, with some discounts exceeding 50% on selected items. Promotional offers on essential goods include Ramadan gift baskets containing staple products like sugar, rice, flour, grains, oils, legumes, and milk.
Electronic Monitoring System
To enhance real-time monitoring of prices in retail outlets and ensure compliance with approved pricing policies, a new electronic price monitoring system has been developed. This automated system enables the detection of any unwarranted price changes and ensures compliance.
This system connects directly with major retailers, where these outlets provide periodic price lists for analysis against reference prices, allowing for daily monitoring of consumer goods and identifying deviations from set price ceilings.
The ministry’s electronic price monitoring system is connected to 627 major retail outlets, comprising a wide range of cooperatives, hypermarkets, and large stores, which represent over 90% of the internal trade volume of essential consumer goods across all seven Emirates, playing a critical role in direct price monitoring during Ramadan.
Warnings
The ministry has warned against any violations or illegal practices, including:
Unapproved price increases on the nine essential consumer goods by suppliers or vendors independently. Any manipulation of product data or withholding information from the ministry.
Providing misleading information that hinders monitoring efforts. Pre-arranged agreements between suppliers and vendors to collectively raise prices.
Penalties
The penalty enforcement system within the ministry follows a gradual approach aimed at correcting violations and strengthening compliance with existing regulations, taking into account the nature of the violation, its severity, recurrence, and its impact on the market and consumers.
The procedures may include issuing a written warning, allowing the violator time to rectify the situation, or imposing monetary fines starting from 500 dirhams to upwards of 100,000 dirhams, along with potential administrative measures like temporary closures for varied durations. Severe cases or repeated violations may lead to more stringent actions reflecting the gravity of the offense.
In monitoring markets and retail outlets to assess compliance with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism’s pricing decisions, the ministry teams and local economic development departments conducted 155,218 inspection rounds in 2025, leading to 7,702 violations. These inspections focused on price labeling, product quality for consumers, and preventing cases of commercial fraud and trademark violations.
The ministry received 3,167 complaints through its website last year, addressing them with high efficiency, resolving 93.9% of the cases, demonstrating the effectiveness of the electronic system and the prompt response of relevant authorities in protecting consumer rights.
Last year, the ministry processed 130 product recall requests, resulting in the retrieval of 551,976 products, reflecting continuous monitoring of product quality and safety to safeguard consumers.