Whoever wanders around the markets these days notices the high abundance of food commodities and Ramadan products, and the spread of food shopping centers in the neighborhoods eliminated the phenomenon of crowding that these markets witnessed in the past with the approach of the blessed month of Ramadan, and the overcrowding of accounting staff!
The truth is that the abundance of food commodities occurs throughout the year, and this is one of God’s blessings that deserve thanks, just as the efforts made by the competent authorities in the country to provide the population’s needs for basic and consumer goods and products, and even luxuries deserve praise, and we tested the efficiency of these efforts during the Corona pandemic when they suffered. Many countries provide for the needs of their population and maintain supply chains for their markets!
It remains for us to know the criteria for price control, and to understand the reasons for the variation in the prices of the same commodities in the markets. Let us take an example of a famous Ramadan commodity. A bottle of Vimto is sold in a retail market for 19 riyals, and in a nearby market it is sold for 14 riyals, both of which are large companies. That is, we are talking about common factors in quantities and spread, and not about a comparison between a hypermarket and a supermarket or grocery store!
But in general, the competition of retail markets to provide offers and discounts compensates for the price discrepancy, and places a responsibility on the shopper himself to compare offers and choose his shopping location.
In short.. Praise be to God for the abundance of goods, the blessing of security, and the tranquility of life!
Khaled Suleiman
