With Ramadan 2026 around the corner, UAE residents are being assured that essential grocery prices will remain protected, as authorities ban unauthorised price increases on nine staple food items and ramp up inspection campaigns across Dubai.
Grocery bills tend to rise during Ramadan as families prepare for Iftar and Suhoor, but officials say strict monitoring is already underway to prevent unfair price hikes and checkout discrepancies.
Which items cannot increase in price?
Retailers are not allowed to raise prices, without prior government approval, on these essential goods:
- Cooking oil
- Eggs
- Dairy products
- Rice
- Sugar
- Poultry
- Legumes
- Bread
- Wheat
Any attempt to increase prices on these items without approval can lead to immediate enforcement action.
What Dubai inspectors are checking
Inspection teams are visiting supermarkets, cooperatives and grocery stores across the emirate to:
- Ensure shelf prices match what customers pay at checkout
- Verify that promotions are genuine and clearly explained
- Monitor stock levels to prevent artificial shortages
- Stop any unauthorised price increases
Authorities say inspectors often pick random items from shelves and scan them at the counter to confirm prices match exactly.
If there’s a difference, it’s treated as a violation.
What happens if retailers break the rules?
Penalties can range from warnings to fines between Dh500 and Dh100,000. In serious or repeated cases, stores could face temporary closure.
Officials have stressed that protecting consumers during Ramadan is a priority, especially as household spending increases during the Holy Month.
Can prices differ between stores?
Yes — price differences between retailers are legal under UAE market competition rules. However, charging more at checkout than the displayed shelf price is not allowed.
Authorities have also instructed retailers to clearly display terms for loyalty-based promotions to avoid confusion.
Monitoring stock levels
In addition to price checks, regulators are monitoring supply chains to ensure shelves remain stocked and to prevent panic buying or artificial shortages.
Officials say compliance rates across UAE retailers remain high.
As Ramadan approaches, residents are being reminded that protecting the spirit of fairness and transparency in the market is a shared responsibility, and that any pricing concerns can be reported to authorities.
