Experts and specialists in retail and consumer protection have stated that the rush of some consumers to shop during the month of Ramadan without planning exposes them to impulsive shopping practices. This, in turn, increases the value of shopping bills and leads to food waste. They told "Emirates Today" that tempting offers encourage many consumers to make impulsive purchases, which include buying goods in quantities that exceed actual need simply because they are part of promotions. Additionally, people buy goods for storage without a real need. Experts urge consumers to avoid impulsive shopping by making lists of required purchases, planning them in advance, choosing suitable offers and stores before heading to the markets, and avoiding emotional purchases that are made without a goal. In detail, consumer protection consultant Amina Al-Mahdi said that one of the most prominent practices some consumers face that increases the value of shopping bills during Ramadan is poor planning and impulsive shopping under the influence of offers presented in the market. She explained that poor shopping planning and not determining needs increases the value of shopping bills and leads to food waste when buying products in excessive quantities. She highlighted the need to stay away from impulsive shopping and buying without a goal. Amina Al-Mahdi added: "It is necessary to plan, determine needs, check if the prices in offers are appropriate, and refrain from the practice of storing goods and buying in large quantities just because they are included in offers." On the other hand, retail trade expert Ibrahim Al-Bahr stated that many consumers are exposed to impulsive shopping at the beginning of the month of Ramadan, which leads to an increase in the value of shopping bills and waste of products. This occurs due to the rush to buy goods on offers and obtain large quantities of goods without the need, which may later lead to their waste. He pointed out that the increase in offers and lack of sufficient consumer awareness contribute to the spread of impulsive shopping, especially in the first days of Ramadan, through shopping based on the temptations and stimuli of offers presented in the market. He added that he noticed some consumers resorting to buying and storing goods presented in offers without a need and in quantities that exceed the actual needs of families, just because those goods are subject to discounts in offers. He pointed out that buying some goods that are offered in large quantities in discounts and additional quantities may expose them to damage with incorrect storage for long periods or expiration of validity, which is considered a waste of materials and expenses. Al-Bahr explained that it is essential for consumers to have the necessary awareness to avoid impulsive shopping, which increases during this holy month through several important steps, centered on proper planning, determining needs in advance before heading to markets, and adhering to buying quantities suitable for families, whether through weekly or monthly shopping patterns, in addition to the necessity of comparing offer goods and choosing suitable outlets that provide the most appropriate discounts, which is currently available through many digital applications and websites. Meanwhile, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at "Sharjah Cooperative" Faisal Khalid Al-Nabouda said that outlets are witnessing a large abundance of goods, which calls for not rushing to buy offer goods only for storage without a real purpose. Director of Purchasing at one of the retail chains, Dilip Vishal, considered that impulsive shopping is one of the most negative practices of some consumers at the beginning of the month of Ramadan, through buying large quantities of discounted and offer goods and storing them without the need to buy those quantities of discounted goods, especially those that witness large discount rates that may reach 50%, which may later lead to the waste of those materials.
