The UAE Ministry of Economy has fined more than 10 outlets in Sharjah’s fruits and vegetables, meat and fish markets for violation of consumer protection regulations and selling meat at high prices.

The team from the Ministry's Consumer Protection Department led by its director Dr Hashim Al Nuaimi took immediate action on the violators during an inspection of the markets to verify compliance with preset prices and sales terms.

Dr Al Nuaimi called upon the traders to commit to the prices agreed with the Ministry during Ramadan.

The team said in most of the shops the prices of most commodities remained stable and they detected no attempts to manipulate the market.

'However, some outlets were found not displaying price tags on their products and so we took disciplinary action against them, said Dr Al Nuaimi.

Touring the fish market, the ministry official urged traders to exchange their old equipments for weight measurements with new and clean tools, in order to ensure weight accuracy and hygiene of products.

At the meat market, the inspection team fined two shops for selling meat at high prices.

“The ministry is committed to supervising UAE consumer markets during Ramadan and will act quickly and decisively to ensure all outlets adhere to the federal consumer protection law,” Dr Al Nuaimi said.

“We will not show any leniency to price manipulators or monopoly traders,” he added.

He said the department's specialist teams will intensify its visit across the emirates in keeping with the Ministry’s priority to ensure consumer protection during the holy month.-TradeArabia News Service