In preparation for the holy month of Ramadan, the 'Emirates Consumer Protection Association' organized 10 tips on how they call 'smart shopping' and urged consumers to create a detailed budget, determine their monthly income, and allocate it towards essential expenses, saving part for emergencies, and forming a list of necessary purchases before going shopping with their completed items. The organization also emphasized the importance of financial health during the month due to the established budget.
The president of the board of directors of the organization, Mohammed Khalifa bin Aziz Al Mehairi, noted that it is essential to avoid extravagance and excess during Ramadan through reasonable purchasing, buying adequate quantities that will help avoid wasting food and money, as well as focusing on product quality instead of quantity.
He underscored the importance of verifying the credibility of promotional offers before purchasing and only using trusted offers, not making a purchase until ensured that these offers correspond to actual consumer needs, without succumbing to large discount offers without checking the quality of the products and their necessity for the consumer.
Al Mehairi urged consumers to compare prices on products in different retail outlets to ensure they receive the best value for price and quality, utilizing reliable applications and websites that will help easily compare prices, while also emphasizing the importance of keeping receipts of purchases to safeguard their rights in case of any defects in the product or wishing to exchange or return it.
He noted that awareness by consumers of their rights is the foundation for their protection and ensuring better products and services. He also emphasized that a conscious consumer can make informed purchases and avoid being caught up in misleading offers or low-quality products, which fosters fair competition among suppliers and improves the quality of products and services in the market.
Al Mehairi also stressed that a conscious consumer plays a key role in supporting the local economy by preferring national products and local retail points, which contributes to the development of local production, the creation of new jobs, and increased investments in the country, promoting sustainable economic development.
