Shoppers told to report violators

Members of the public have expressed concern at the rise in prices of commodities during Ramadan and feel that regulatory bodies are not actively inspecting shops.
Arab News visited several stores and spoke to members of the public, many of whom felt that shopkeepers tend to overprice items in the holy month. Some retailers, however, said consumers are unaware of how developments in international markets cause prices to increase. During the visit, Arab News observed how many retailers were well-stocked for Ramadan.
“Some prices are manipulated,” said Anwar Sa’d. “The prices of raw materials have increased. But we are used to these price hikes in Ramadan. For shopkeepers this is their peak season. We also find the huge crowds really irritating.”
Laila Al-Shammari, a shop assistant, agreed. She said that the price of wheat, meat and some other products have risen in an “insane” way. “I see many reasons for this. First, merchants do not comply with the price lists set by the Ministry of Commerce. Secondly, there is no supervisory role. There are no rules or regulations that deter merchants,” she said.
A female shopper who did not wish to be named said the laxity of regulatory agencies and consumer protection groups allows stores to manipulate prices and exploit consumers.
However, Usama Uturji, an expert on human behavior, is of a different view regarding the price increases, which he describes as “delusional.” “The consumer experience during the past seasons has created concern within individuals that prices will rise sharply and unexpectedly; people believe that stocks will not be enough to meet demand. So they over shop, buying much more than they need. This, of course, creates high temporary demand and the prices go up.”
Talal Al-Turk, an economic analyst, believes that the price increases in consumer goods are due to a very severe crisis in 2011 when there was a severe shortage of oil derivatives which pushed prices higher and in some cases profit margins reached 100 percent. Many merchants simply did not mark items down even though the crisis ended two years ago.
A source at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, who was not authorized to speak for the ministry since it has no spokesman, said the ministry appeals and warns all merchants not to increase prices arbitrarily, especially in Ramadan. He urged consumers to cooperate with the ministry and report violators.
According to a report by the Saudi Press Agency, business sources say that the prices of most goods in Ramadan increased by 10 to 15 percent.