Expect discounts from 25 to 60 %

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 03, 2020:   The Ministry of Economy during the ‘15th Gulf Consumer Protection Day’ conference revealed a new initiative aimed at reducing the price of 5000 Food and Consumer goods in various regions of the country, with reduction rates ranging between 25 to more than 60%, starting 1st March 2020 to the end of this month. 

Dr. Hashim Al Nuaimi, Director of the Competitiveness and Consumer Protection Department at the Ministry of Economy in his press statement said: “Ministry coordinated with major retail outlets and cooperatives to implement the initiative, pointing out that the price cuts would include basic commodities, to support price stability, and provide many opportunities for consumers to obtain their necessities at lower prices.”

On the sidelines of the conference organized by the Ministry in Dubai, which was held under the slogan ‘Towards a secure electronic shopping experience for the Consumer’, Al Nuaimi added that following to the implementation of the initiative, preparation shall start for major discount campaigns before and during the holy month of Ramadan, at rates exceeding the previous Ramadan season.

Al Nuaimi stressed that the country’s market have not witnessed any negative repercussions due to Corona Virus in China and several other countries, as the market witnessed great abundance of goods, in addition to price stability and existence of discounts on several goods. 

Concerning the new law of Consumer Protection, Al Nuaimi indicated that it is currently going through the necessary legislative stages before its issuance, to keep pace with various modern and future developments in the markets. 

He said that the Supreme Committee for Consumer Protection will hold a meeting in Dubai today, which will discuss new business initiatives to enhance consumer rights in the e-commerce sector, in line with the demand witnessed by the sector. 

Al Nuaimi explained that the initiatives that will be discussed would include the necessity of the availability of standards of clarity, ease of use in e-shopping applications on smart phones, in addition to committing companies to the standards of fast delivery and sound condition of goods on delivery. in addition to oblige all sites and applications, including dealing via social media, even if it is based in external markets and operates in the state’s markets, to register in the local concerned departments, to support consumer confidence in the sector. 

For his part, Dr. Suhail Al Bastaki, Director of Happiness & Marketing Department, Union Coop, on behalf of Consumer Cooperative Union said: “The Cooperative will launch in conjunction with the 15th Gulf Consumer Protection day and the Coop Shopping Festival, offers and discounts that include more than 300 items of the ‘Coop’ brand, with rates up to 30% from the beginning of March to the end of the same month.”

Highlighting the growth of Coop brand, Al Bastaki points out: “Total number of goods of the ‘Coop’ brand has reached 921 commodities so far, available in 18 cooperatives with 170 branches. It should be noted that in the coming 2 years, it will increase to 188 branches, with plans to construct 19 new branches.” 

AED 6.3 Billion sales of Cooperatives

Dr. Suhail Al Bastaki, Director of Happiness & Marketing Department, Union Coop said that the total sales in cooperatives reached to AED 6 Billion and 311 Million at the end of last year, while the number of shareholders reached 77 thousand and 359.

Al Bastaki states that Union Coop has launched a secure electronic shopping platform that provides more than 30, 000 products, noting that its sales exceeded AED 30.8 Million in 2019. 

For his part, Ahmad Hassan Al Zaabi, Director - Consumer Protection Department at Department of Economic Development said: “Dubai Economy worked to develop a smart and effective system to deal with consumer complaints, noting that the retail sector is an essential part of the economy of the Emirates of Dubai, accounting to about 26% of its GDP, so as effective system for dealing with consumer complaints and finding solutions to them in a smooth manner is considered a strategic potential for retail trade in Dubai.”

Al Zaabi reviewed several smart services provided by Dubai Economy for protecting the rights of consumers, including the first ‘Smart Protection’ service that adopted artificial intelligence to respond quickly and efficiently to consumer inquiries and solve their complaints, which are available on the ‘Dubai Consumer’ application, and the Dubai Consumer Protection Website.