Consumers are accusing vendors of raising prices in order to exploit the recently announced two-month pay bonus and minimum wage for all government employees. Consumers also blame the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for not taking any action against unreasonable price increases.

Arab News found in a tour of the marketplace that a food company famed for its grilled chicken and barbecue hiked the price of a dish from SR19 to SR21. The company has no justification for its higher prices; it has its own poultry farms in the Kingdom and no need to depend on imported chicken.

“I bought a chicken dish for SR19 shortly before the government issued the order for the continuation of the cost-of-living allowance, and when I went there again on April 30 the price was hiked to SR21,” Mutlaq Al-Muwarreqi, a regular customer at that company’s food outlet, told Arab News.

Arab News discovered that the price of 900 grams of imported baby formula was hiked by SR3 while a 400-gram packet of baby formula was raised by SR1 at a pharmacy. However, the pharmacist said the increase in the price had nothing to do with the salary increase.

Some restaurants have resorted to another ploy to justify increasing prices: They offer meals with different names claiming that the ingredients in the new meals are more expensive and of better quality than the old dishes. 

A plate of chicken kabsa is now SR30 while its was SR26 a few months ago. Mutton kabsa is now SR48 in the place of SR45. Restaurant officials attributed the price hike to the quality of rice they use to prepare the dish. The price of mandi has been hiked from SR30 to SR45 over the past four years.

Fahd Al-Malki, a Saudi shopper, said he feared the prices will go up again unless authorities monitor the marketplace and take tough action against greedy restaurant owners.

The explanation given by shop owners is that importers are demanding higher prices for newly imported goods.

The director of a commercial center in north Jeddah said importers and agents of well-known food brands control the pricing system and impose their prices on retailers, who then pass these increases on to customers.

Some restaurants reduce the quantity of food and keep the old price in order to mislead customers.

Restaurant accountant Fouzy Al-Halabi said one reason for the hiked prices of meals is the rise in the price of sheep, besides higher house rents and workers’ wages.

The common man wonders why the Ministry of Commerce and Industry does not do anything to check pricing at restaurants and eateries.

Khaled Al-Otaiby, a Saudi customer,  said the ministry did not heed the complaints of the public about the unjustifiable price hikes in restaurants.

“When we call the ministry to register our complaints about it, the officials there direct us to the municipality. Now we are confused as to whom we should turn to,” he said.

He also demanded the authorities to make it clear to whom the people should complain when they have problems with food prices.