In a consumer-friendly gesture, the government, acting tough on soft drink wholesalers, has ordered that the retail prices of cold drink cans and bottles be brought back to the previous levels. The Ministry of Business and Trade, which closely monitors the prices of food and other items of mass use in the interest of the common man, issued a decision striking down the price rise introduced by Coca-Cola and Pepsi dealers here, as unjustifiable.
Issued by the Minister of Business and Trade, H E Sheikh Fahad bin Jassem Al Thani, the stern-sounding decision said: “The Ministry refuses to accept the increase in the prices of the soft drinks imported by Coca-Cola and Pepsi companies.”
According to the Qatar News Agency (QNA), the Ministry has warned dealers, including retail outlets, to comply with the decision with immediate effect or face consequences. Not conforming to the decree would amount to a violation, the Ministerial decision said. The two companies have increased the prices of their products without any prior notice, said the Ministry.
The Ministry has also issued an extensive table in which some 30 types of soft drinks of various kinds marketed by the two firms and maximum retail prices against them have been set.
The Ministerial decision said the prices of these carbonated drinks be brought back to pre-March 3 levels.
After a careful study and analysis, the Ministry has reached the conclusion that the price rise introduced by the two soft drinks companies was unjustified, the Ministry said.
http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=March2009&file=Local_News2009031363211.xml
ILQ News covered this yesterday :)
http://iloveqatar.net/forum/read.php?28,6455
Follow us on our social media channels:
@ILQlive
@ILQlive
@ILoveQtr
ILoveQatar
