The Ministry of Business and Trade yesterday made it binding on all retail outlets in the country to sell basic food items to consumers at fixed rates during Ramadan.
Retailers hiking the prices of any of the 104 items figuring on the ministerial list are liable to be punished as inspectors from the Consumer Protection Department have been given ith judicial powers to act against violators.
The decision became effective yesterday and will remain valid until the last day of the fasting month which is slated to begin on August 22.
The ministry has issued a list of 104 items incorporating into a ministerial decision. It has prescribed the maximum prices at which these items can be sold to consumers for personal or family use.
Outlets launching promotions of any of the products listed by the Ministry for price freeze will not be required to pay any fee, the decision said.
Consumers can buy any quantities of these items provided they are for personal or family use and not for resale (in future).
A 5-kg bag of Punjab Garden Basmati rice will now be, for example, available at QR30 at all the retail outlets until the end of Ramadan. Tilda rice, its 10kg bag, will now be sold for QR129.75. Similarly, UAE-packed sugar (two-kg pack) will be available for QR4.75, while a five-kg bag of ‘Gulf Sugar’ brand will be sold for QR9.50. One kg pack of the popular Sadia frozen chicken will be sold at QR10 only, while number 2 Qatari flour (five-kg pack) will be available for QR17 only.
Likewise, 1.8 litre bottle of Afia edible oil will be sold at QR16, while Lurpak butter (400 grams, not flavored) will be available at all retail stores for QR10.50.
The price of Lipton dust tea (450gm) has been fixed by the ministry at QR13, but tea bags have not been included in the list. Inspectors from the Consumer Protection Department will conduct frequent raids to check compliance. The Peninsula reported the price freeze on August 13 with a list of items meant to be sold at fixed rates.
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