H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Consumer Protection, visited several retail outlets across the UAE to monitor price stability and the availability of essential goods during the holy month of Ramadan 2026. The visits also aimed to assess the compliance levels of traders, cooperative societies, and retail outlets with consumer protection laws and policies, particularly those on essential goods pricing, including the Ministry’s decision regarding the unit price of consumer goods.
H.E. Bin Touq affirmed that the UAE’s strategic stockpiles are well-prepared to ensure a continuous supply and long-term availability of goods. With Ramadan fast approaching, markets are witnessing a significant abundance of products, particularly essential consumer items.
H.E. said: “At the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, we are committed to meeting consumer needs, ensuring adequate supply, and preventing unjustified price increases during Ramadan. We monitor retail outlets and cooperative societies for compliance with the Consumer Protection Law, its executive regulations, and relevant resolutions, as well as adherence to announced promotions and discounts. These efforts help maintain market stability and provide a safe, attractive consumer environment.”
His Excellency visited the Emirates Cooperative Society in Al Twar 3, Dubai, where he was received by H.E Ali Mohammed Balraheef, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Society; H.E. Mohammed Abdulkarim Julfar, Vice Chairman of the Society; and H.E. Sultan Al Ghaith, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Society. During his tour, H.E. Bin Touq was briefed on stock availability and the outlet’s adherence to clearly displaying unit prices of essential goods, enabling consumers to compare and make informed purchasing decisions in line with approved standards and policies.
The Minister of Economy and Tourism also visited “Spinneys” store in the Al Khawaneej area to assess the implementation of approved policies that enhance the protection of consumer rights and price stability in the markets. He was received by Sunil Kumar, CEO of Spinneys; and Tom Harvey, General Manager for Commercial Affairs at Spinneys.
H.E. Bin Touq pointed out the importance of cooperation and continued dialogue with retail outlets and cooperative societies to ensure the regular exchange of information related to essential consumer goods and their sustainable availability, given the special discounts and offers offered to consumers coinciding with the advent of Ramadan.
H.E. emphasized that the pricing policy for essential consumer goods plays a pivotal role in regulating the vital relationship between suppliers of goods, retail outlets, and consumers, ensuring the rights of all parties, and promoting sound commercial practices.
The policy prohibits any price increases on essential goods, including cooking oil, eggs, dairy products, rice, sugar, poultry, legumes, bread, and wheat, without prior approval from the Ministry and relevant authorities, in accordance with Cabinet Resolution No. 120 of 2022 on consumer goods pricing rules and controls.
Furthermore, His Excellency reaffirmed that adherence to the set unit prices for consumer goods and cleaning materials in retail outlets ensures pricing transparency, provides consumers with accurate information to make informed choices, promotes rational consumption, and supports fair competition based on unit prices rather than overall offer prices in the market.
The Ministry of Economy and Tourism’s resolution on consumer goods unit pricing requires retail stores, including physical and digital establishments over 1,000 sqm, to display unit prices clearly and legibly using standardized measurement units. The resolution also empowers the Ministry and relevant authorities to monitor compliance and gives consumers the right to file complaints against stores or digital merchants that violate the law.
H.E. Bin Touq was accompanied by several employees from the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, including Her Excellency Safeya Al Safi, Assistant Undersecretary for the Commercial Control and Governance sector; Sultan Darwish, Director of the Consumer Protection and Commercial Control Department; Amina Al Haj, Advisor for Consumer Protection and Commercial Control; and Salem Al Oulaqi, Head of the Control and Compliance Section at the Consumer Protection and Commercial Control Department.
Moreover, the Ministry of Economy and Tourism emphasized the consumer’s role as an active partner in monitoring market prices by engaging with regulatory authorities and using the Ministry’s official channels to submit complaints, report practices that harm consumer protection, or offer suggestions to help improve the country’s consumer protection environment, via the toll-free number 8001222.