UAE Launches Essential Goods Prices Platform to Track Live Prices and Boost Consumer Transparency
UAE launches Essential Goods Prices Platform to show live prices of 33 staples across 12 outlets, boosting transparency and enabling smarter shopping.
The UAE has launched the Essential Goods Prices Platform, a digital tool designed to give consumers live visibility of prices for staple items and promote smarter shopping. The Ministry of Economy and Tourism introduced the platform as part of a national push to enhance market transparency, protect purchasing power and support fair competition. The new service is intended to help residents make informed buying decisions while strengthening market stability.
Ministerial statement on consumer protection
Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism and chair of the Supreme Committee for Consumer Protection, said the platform builds on the UAE’s legislative and digital infrastructure to safeguard consumer rights. He described the initiative as aligning with the UAE’s economic objectives and the We the UAE 2031 vision to foster a competitive and sustainable retail environment. The minister highlighted that clearer price information will support growth in wholesale and retail trade while protecting both citizens and residents.
Platform mechanics and data sources
The Essential Goods Prices Platform aggregates and analyses price data in real time from 12 major sales outlets across the country. It publishes minimum and maximum prices recorded at each outlet, enabling consumers to compare costs across branches instantly. The ministry explained that data are fed to the platform through direct electronic links with participating retailers, and the database is updated daily to reflect market movements accurately.
Scope of tracked commodities
At launch the platform tracks 33 items divided between core consumer staples and other principal goods, covering categories most frequently purchased by households. Tracked categories include cooking oils, eggs, dairy products, rice and sugar, alongside poultry, red meat, fish and legumes. The platform also monitors bread and wheat, bottled water and a selection of fruits and vegetables such as bananas, oranges, apples, cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, garlic and onions to ensure broad market coverage.
Consumer-facing features and smart shopping tools
The platform offers consumer-centric features that allow users to build a personalised shopping basket and receive automatic guidance toward the most cost-effective options. These tools are intended to promote smart purchasing by highlighting lower-cost outlets and enabling side-by-side price comparisons for items in a shopper’s basket. The ministry said the smart features will help households optimise spending and make better-informed decisions without compromising quality or choice.
Market effects and safeguards for purchasing power
Officials expect the Essential Goods Prices Platform to reinforce fair competition among sellers and contribute to price stability by increasing transparency. By exposing price ranges and facilitating comparisons, the tool aims to discourage unjustified mark-ups and support the protection of consumers’ purchasing power. The ministry emphasised that the platform is part of a balanced approach to monitoring markets, combining price visibility with ongoing engagement with local economic departments and retailers to ensure supply continuity.
Public engagement and reporting mechanisms
The Ministry of Economy and Tourism has invited the public to use the platform and to report any discrepancies between posted online prices and in-store prices. Consumers can alert authorities using the dedicated hotline 8001222, the ministry said, noting that public feedback will help maintain data accuracy and retailer compliance. The ministry also urged shoppers to follow responsible purchasing habits, such as buying according to need and avoiding stockpiling, to support market stability and ensure availability for all residents.
The launch of the Essential Goods Prices Platform represents a step toward a more transparent retail ecosystem in the UAE, combining real-time data feeds with consumer tools to encourage smarter spending. As the platform is updated daily and expanded through collaboration with local economic departments and retail partners, officials say it will continue to evolve to meet consumer needs while safeguarding market stability and purchasing power.
