Union Co-op's 'cost-to-cost' offer slashes prices of fruits and vegetables, but…

Even as a section of customers believe that fruits and vegetables prices at supermarkets and hypermarkets across the country remain high during the Holy month of Ramadan, Union Cooperative yesterday slashed prices on fruits and vegetables like never before.

Celebrating Humanitarian Zayed Day, Union Cooperative offered cost-to-cost offer on fruits and vegetables in all its stores yesterday, seeing hordes of shoppers take advantage of the never-before-seen deals.

“I’ve never seen such prices. The Indian pomegranate that is usually at around Dh15 or more is now available for Dh6, oranges start at Dh2.40, kiwis at Dh10 and cabbage is priced at Dh0.90. When I first saw it, I thought the offer was limited only to a few items but it was on all fruits and vegetables,” said a happy shopper at Union Cooperative in Al Barsha Mall.

“Somebody told me it’s just for a day. At these prices, I would not go anywhere else. I filled my cart and still the total bill was nearly less than half of what I pay on any other day,” said another shopper at the same hypermarket.

Reports released during the Holy month suggest that food prices have gone up in the country with fruits and vegetables seeing the maximum hike across categories.

According to the first weekly report by Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi (SCAD) on food prices during Ramadan, food prices in Abu Dhabi increased by 1.9 per cent during the first week of the month of Ramadan, compared with the first week of the previous month. Prices of fruits rose by 5.9 per cent, vegetables by 7.9 per cent, coffee, tea and cocoa by 3.2 per cent and fish and seafood by 2.8 per cent, the report stated.

Shoppers also companied of rising food prices in Dubai making fruits and vegetables costly during the period. Many fruits and vegetable vendors blame the rising cost of transportation behind the increasing prices.

However, in a statement released by Dubai Customs, the government entity has ensured that it has enhanced its efforts to facilitate food products trading release during Ramadan.

To keep prices in control, “the Customs Centres in Dubai have supported prompt operations delivery of imported food products to ensure market needs supply and combat price hike. A number of shipments are immediately released through the Risk Engine System which enables clearance transactions at 88 per cent within less than 2 minutes, meanwhile, other shipments are released within short periods of time through accelerated and accurate electronic process tracking. 

“Foodstuff sector is one of the most essential commercial sectors which Dubai Customs keenly targets to expedite its imports to satisfy consumption needs, especially, during the month of Ramadan in which consumption of food products reach highest levels, in such a way that will enhance government efforts to curb price increase and ensure that consumers receive their food needs at reasonable prices,” read the statement on its website.

“It’s good that the government is trying to curb the prices but some retailers don’t need a reason to hike prices of food items,” said Charles D’couza, an Indian national living in New Dubai.

Media reports state that up until now, the Consumer Protection Department has issued 68 fines and warnings to stores in the UAE — including 20 in Abu Dhabi, 16 in Dubai, five in Sharjah and 24 in Fujairah.
 

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