UAE Carries Out 8,168 Inspections, Issues Fines Up To Dh200,000 For Price Hikes

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

The UAE’s Ministry of Economy and Tourism conducted 8,168 inspections between February 28 and March 18, issuing 729 warnings and 216 penalties, with fines ranging from Dh2,000 to Dh200,000.

The inspections were carried out to ensure that traders and sales outlets adhere to consumer protection policies, apply them effectively, and provide a safe and fair shopping environment for all consumers.

The Ministry stated that it adopts a gradual escalation approach to applying penalties and fines, aiming to rectify violations and ensure compliance with relevant legislation and policies, while taking into account the nature and frequency of the violation.

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The federal body also monitors markets through its specialised teams and those of the Economic Development Departments. Furthermore, it utilises an electronic price monitoring system that allows for direct and real-time price tracking. This system is linked to approximately 627 major retail outlets, including cooperative societies, hypermarkets, and supermarkets, representing about 90 per cent of domestic trade in essential consumer goods in the country.

Consumer complaints

The inspection campaigns by the Ministry were launched in cooperation with the Departments of Economic Development in various markets across the country.

The Ministry received approximately 2,441 consumer complaints, including 1,994 related to food price increases, nine related to hotels, and 438 other complaints between February 28 and March 17.

It revealed that these 2,441 consumer complaints were received between February 28 and March 17, 2026. All complaints were addressed immediately, including field visits to verify the prices of commonly traded food items in markets, such as onions, tomatoes, potatoes, and bananas.

Committee formed

Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Consumer Protection, said monitoring prices and the availability of goods in the country’s markets is a top priority, especially under the current circumstances.

“We also work on periodically evaluating and reviewing regulatory policies and procedures to ensure that markets respond to any changes and to guarantee the protection of consumers from any unfair practices that may affect their rights,” he added.

Al Marri added: “At the beginning of the crisis, a national crisis and emergency team was formed to monitor the situation in cooperation with local economic departments. More than 36 meetings have been held with major suppliers and importers since the beginning of the crisis to ensure the flow of essential goods in sufficient quantities. In addition, we monitor daily updates from major retail outlets regarding the commercial stock of the 50 most important food items and track the number of days of sufficient supply for each item on a daily basis, thereby enhancing the readiness and efficiency of the country’s strategic reserves.”

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