Dubai launches website to track cost of essential products, protect consumers

Dubai Economy has launched a ‘Price Monitor’ portal to track and compare the prices of 41 basic needs including rice, bread, flour, cooking oil, meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, water, salt, sugar, fruits, vegetables and hygiene essentials such as sanitizers and face masks on a daily basis, reported official news agency WAM.

The objective of the portal – price.ded.ae – is to ensure that sellers do not indulge in price gouging at a time when precautionary measures against the Covid-19 pandemic are in place across the UAE, and that consumers can continue to get their basic needs at fair prices.

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Representatives from the Commercial Compliance & Consumer Protection (CCCP) division in Dubai Economy will coordinate with retail chains and supermarkets in the emirate to publish the daily list with the minimum and maximum price.

The website makes it easier for consumers to raise queries or file complaints with regards to the pricing of commodities and to empower consumers with improved awareness of their rights, while limiting the scope for price manipulation, said Dubai Economy.

The bilingual website – users can opt between English and Arabic – allows visitors to quickly file complaints or raise queries and upload a supporting image alongside their message too.

Dubai Economy will also regularly evaluate demand and supply in the local market based on the price list.

On Tuesday, the CCCP imposed fines on three pharmacies in Dubai – one each in Jumeirah, Al Khawaneej and Mirdif – for tampering with the prices of face masks and sanitizers. It reported that two of the pharmacies were found to have exaggerated the price of its face masks while the third sold sanitizers at a higher price and without proper invoicing.

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On Wednesday, Dubai Economy which has undertaken an inspection drive to verify the safety standards of antimicrobial products including hand sanitizers sold in the emirate decided to withdraw six hand sanitizers that were deemed to be non-compliant with its stipulated health and safety requirements.