Have you noticed any price hikes around town?

Reports are circulating that some Abu Dhabi stores are taking advantage of the current climate by unfairly increasing their prices.

But stores and vendors that indulge in this form of opportunism, by wildly hiking prices and putting consumers out of pocket, could find themselves facing a serious slap on the wrist from authorities.

The ADDED wants your help to find offenders

The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) is playing an active role in protecting residents from unethical trading practices during the Covid-19 pandemic.

And they’ve asked the public to “be our eyes in the market” by reporting any complaints of opportunistic price hiking.

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You can flag up inflated prices by calling the toll-free helpline (800) 555, conversing with the automated chatbot on adbc.gov.ae, or via the (056) 998 8388 WhatsApp number.

Since ADDED started its inspection campaign in the capital, it has already paid a visit to more than 860 shops, restaurants, pharmacies and shopping centres.

So far seven establishments have been fined, and a further 29 have been issued with warnings.

Consumers can check approved pricing on a range of goods at tamm.abudhabi. For example, a can of 7UP should retail at around Dhs2.50 in shops, a pack of Al Emarat Noodles (the self-isolation cupboard staple) should be within easy reach of Dhs3.85, and 100ml of Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream should come in at about Dhs7.30.

Images: ADDED via Twitter/Unsplash