Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
In the presence of His Excellency Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, the Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET) held a media briefing at its Dubai headquarters outlining intensified measures to monitor product, commodity and service prices across UAE markets ahead of the holy month of Ramadan.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding consumer rights and ensuring price stability, highlighting a series of legislative, regulatory and field initiatives aimed at strengthening oversight during the peak consumption period.
Strengthening the Consumer Protection Framework
Speaking at the briefing, Bin Touq said the UAE has made significant progress in building a robust legislative framework for consumer protection, reflecting the country's commitment to transparency, fairness and sustainable economic growth.
He noted that the Ministry has accelerated national efforts in coordination with federal and local government entities, particularly through the Supreme Committee for Consumer Protection, while deepening cooperation with cooperatives, the private sector and other stakeholders.
"Our goal is to increase compliance with consumer protection legislation across all retail outlets, promote sound commercial practices and enhance oversight of goods and products in the marketplace," he said.
Among the most prominent legislative milestones is Federal Decree-Law No. 5 of 2023, which amends provisions of Law No. 15 of 2020 on Consumer Protection.
The updated framework, alongside its executive regulations, introduces more than 43 obligations on suppliers to ensure high standards of consumer protection and strengthen deterrent measures against violations.
Essential Goods Pricing Policy
As part of its oversight strategy, the Ministry continues to enforce the 'Pricing Policy for Essential Consumer Goods', which prohibits price increases on nine key categories without prior approval.
These include cooking oil, eggs, dairy products, rice, sugar, poultry, legumes, bread and wheat.
Other goods remain subject to supply-and-demand dynamics and competitive market mechanisms.
The Ministry warned against violations such as unauthorised price hikes, manipulation or withholding of data, providing misleading information and collusion between suppliers and traders to collectively raise prices.
Administrative penalties follow a graduated system, ranging from written warnings to fines between Dh500 and Dh100,000, and may include temporary closure of establishments in serious or repeated cases.
Regulation of E-Commerce
Bin Touq also highlighted Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2023 on Trade by Modern Technological Means, which regulates e-commerce activities in the UAE.
The law defines guaranteed consumer rights in online transactions, including secure digital payment systems without additional fees and strong data protection standards.
In addition, Cabinet Resolution No. 200 of 2025 establishes administrative penalties for violations related to modern technology-based trade.
Strategic Stockpile and Market Supply
The Minister affirmed that the UAE's strategic reserves remain strong and comprehensive, ensuring long-term supply sustainability. Markets are currently witnessing abundant availability of goods, particularly strategic commodities, ahead of Ramadan.
He emphasised that prudent national policies and leadership support have secured sufficient stockpiles of essential goods for citizens, residents and visitors.
420 Inspection Campaigns During Ramadan
To reinforce price stability during Ramadan, the Ministry will conduct 420 inspection tours and field visits across retail outlets nationwide.
These efforts will be coordinated with local economic development departments and suppliers.
Additionally, 26 meetings will be held with major suppliers and importers to ensure the steady flow of essential goods and prevent unjustified price increases.
In 2025, the Ministry and local authorities conducted approximately 155,218 inspection tours, resulting in 7,702 violations related to price labeling, product quality, commercial fraud and trademark infringements.
The Ministry also reported receiving 3,167 consumer complaints last year, resolving 93.9 percent of them. Furthermore, 130 product recall requests led to the recovery of 551,976 goods from the market.
Digital Price Monitoring System
A key pillar of the Ministry's oversight efforts is its digital price monitoring system, which enables real-time tracking of retail prices. The system is directly linked to 627 major retail outlets - including cooperatives, hypermarkets and large stores - representing more than 90 percent of domestic trade in essential consumer goods across the seven emirates.
Retailers regularly submit price lists to the system, which analyses and compares them against reference prices to detect deviations and potential violations.
Awareness and Responsible Consumption
In cooperation with economic development departments, the Ministry will launch intensive awareness campaigns to promote responsible consumption during Ramadan.
Initiatives include distributing a consumer rights guide via social media and encouraging the public to report violations through the toll-free number 8001222.
The Ministry also urged consumers to retain purchase receipts and verify them against transactions as a safeguard for their rights.
It further confirmed that it will oversee Ramadan discount campaigns launched by cooperatives and retail outlets, some of which are offering discounts exceeding 50%, as well as Ramadan basket promotions containing essential household goods.
The Ministry of Economy and Tourism reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to strengthening the consumer protection environment in line with international best practices, enhancing market stability and reinforcing the UAE's position as a competitive and sustainable destination for global brands.
