Qatar residents are seeking effective intervention of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) for ensuring stable and uniform prices for edible consumer goods across the country during the holy month of Ramadan.
In the last few days more people have been coming out with complaints about some retailers charging different prices for the same brand of essential edible commodities, including milk.
This is reported at a time when the MEC has issued orders to retailers for ensuring discounted prices for a large number of essential commodities for consumers.
The other day, a customer said he had come across four different prices in as many places for a one-litre bottle of fresh milk produced in the country.
"While it is being sold for QR6 at major hypermarkets as part of the Ramadan promotion, against the regular price of QR6.50, the same milk is being sold for QR6.50, QR7 and QR 7.50 at three different outlets in the city," he said while also informing that smaller supermarkets are also refusing to issue bills to the customers against their purchases.
Residents have also come across similar disparities in the prices of many items, including dry fruits and nuts of same brands at outlets located in the same area.
Not over, they are also complaining of different prices for a popular brand of carbonated (soft) drink. The same product is sold for prices between QR5.50 and QR6.50 at different retail outlets.
While retail prices of many smaller brands usually vary from shops to shops, the difference in the prices of edible items of even some of the established brands are causing worries to the residents.