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MoE: Price-related complaints on the rise
posted on 19/12/2011: 34 views
The Ministry of Economy (MoE) has received 6,195 complaints related to price hikes this year and this includes 1,200 complaints, which were filed after the UAE President issued a decision to increase the salaries of federal authority staff earlier in the month.
Dr Hashim Al Nuaimi, director of the Consumer Protection Department, said that the ministry had received 407 complaints in the first quarter, 598 in the second, 1,403 in the third and 258 during September and November.
He explained that the ministry has been receiving an unprecedented number of complaints from consumers related to an unjustified increase in the prices of food commodities, after the President issued the decision.
According to him, the MoE is focusing on this issue and it will be reviewed by the Supreme Committee for Consumer Protection on Thursday to develop a mechanism to counter the price hikes. He said the ministry is taking the issue seriously because the number of complaints it has received is the largest ever.
The daily average of complaints received by the MoE through its hotline is 60, and these are addressed instantly. Al Nuaimi pointed out as a result of this, the ministry has looked into nearly 98 per cent of the complaints forwarded to this year while the remaining were referred to the dispute settlement committee.
He attributed the rise in the number of complaints being filed to greater awareness on the part of consumers and the ministry's success in ensuring that markets are being monitored for sudden price increases.
He pointed out that nearly 80 per cent of the complaints received by the MoE are related to the increase in prices followed by those concerning vehicles. He stressed that the ministry will not tolerate any outlet or trader violating the rules set by the ministry. The MoE does not allow suppliers or traders to raise their prices without prior permission from the Consumer Protection Department. – The Gulf Today
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