The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has announced that it will be conducting surprise inspection visits to supermarkets to ensure that milk powder is not sold at prices higher than the price set by the ministry.

“The large number of complaints we have received from customers indicates there is an unexpected spurt in powdered milk prices,” Atiya Al-Zahrani, director general of the ministry’s Jeddah branch, told Arab News.

Consumers, especially parents with several young children, are financially burdened by the increase in milk prices, which has been estimated to be between 15 and 20 percent.

Many parents complained that the prices of powdered milk were not uniform with the same brand product sold at different prices in various shops.

The price of a small can of children’s milk increased from SR30 to SR35, while another brand’s price rose from SR30 to SR37 and a third brand, which previously used to carry the price tag of SR26 is now sold at SR31, complained some parents.

Employees working in pharmacies blamed the rise in powdered milk prices on international factors, such as an increase in shipping and distribution costs as well as the wages of workers.

Bahjat Mustafa, a pharmacist, sympathized with consumers, however, saying the hike in prices was beyond the control of local pharmacies and shops.

“We hope prices will decrease because that would increase our sales revenues,” Mustafa said, adding that prices of all medical products have increased, not just baby milk.