Ras Al Khaimah, January 04: The rise in prices of basic grocery items have affected many families who live outside the town areas in the emirate.
They have complained that grocery shops, small supermarkets and other outlets have increased the prices of many basic food and household products making life difficult for them.
Muhamood Ali, who heads a family in Khuzam area, said grocery shops near his home have sold him food products at increased prices compared to the prices of such products in big supermarkets in the emirate.
“Some of these traders take the advantage of their proximity for big profits. Sometimes I feel cheated but I have to bear with the price increase because I do not want to travel to the towns,” said Ali.
Noordeen Muhsin, an employee in a private company in RAK said high prices of some basic items in some grocery shops are not justified. Many of these shops are located near people’s homes they deliver on an urgent basis and take advantage of the situation, he said.
Muhsin stressed that there is an urgent need for the competent authorities to the monitor the markets and curb the price violations.
Habir Musa, an Egyptian expatriate said there is an absence of strict control on the grocery stores and other shops.
“Many people rely on food products and household items provided by various shops near their houses. These shops provide delivery services to people’s homes for free, making life easier for many residents,” said Musa.
Workers in grocery shops and small supermarkets said since the delivery services offered to many of their customers is free, they always make a slight increase in the prices of certain products in order to cover the delivery costs and stay in business.
A senior official from the Consumer Protection Department, at the Ministry of Economy said they received complaints from some consumers about the increased prices by some grocery stores and small supermarkets. He noted that inspection campaigns have been intensified in Ras Al Khaimah to control the arbitrarily price hikes and to crackdown on the violators.
–Agencies