PACP keeps eye on ‘special offers’

By Kaushalendra Singh — SALALAH: May 15 Markets are flooded with promotions and special offers designed for the holy month of Ramadhan. While the prospective customers have already started comparing these offers before the actual buying, the inspecting authorities are already in action to ensure that these promotions and special offers go in the right way, without letting the customers down with something ‘hidden’ behind the offers.

Ramadhan is to fall in the last week of this month and shopping for this is to pick up soon after the disbursement of salaries.

According to a senior official of the Dhofar chapter of the Public Authority for Consumer Protection (PACP), the Authority’s inspection teams have started visiting the hypermarkets, supermarkets and central markets to ensure proper supply of goods during Ramadhan.

In an interview with Observer Ali Salim al Basrawi, In-Charge of Salalah branch of the PACP, said things were being streamlined to ensure proper supply of goods, especially fruits and dairy products, “which are great in demand during the month and go very quickly from the shelves.”

Commenting on practice of promotions and special offers during the month, Al Basrawi said, “It is good that the outlets come out with several offers. It is part of their business plan because Ramadhan is the time when almost every household goes for shopping and the ‘offers’ are the best way to attract customers.”

“But I insist on maintaining the best practices by the business houses, particularly those who are dealing in food products or consumable goods. The customers should not be kept in dark while offering the goods on promotion, the expiry dates of which are very close,” he said.

Such occasions, according to Al Basrawi, requires co-operation between other government agencies like municipality and law implementing agencies. “We get good support from Dhofar Municipality and Royal Oman Police in achieving our goals of protecting the rights of the consumers.”

“Ramadhan is the time when consumption of meat products is very high. To ensure quality supply to the consumers we keep on inspecting meat shops. Similar is the case with fruits and vegetable, demand for which is equally high during the period,” he said.

The PACP also conducts regular meetings with the management of supermarkets and hypermarkets for consistent supply of goods. “We have seen good stock in almost all the major outlets in Salalah now. But there are certain fast moving consumable goods (FMCGs) which cannot be stored in advance. A good supply chain is the only solution for those products,” he said.

He advised the consumers to draw a list and decide budget before going for shopping and give time while deciding to buy something. “You do read the product details, its expiry etc before rushing to the cash counter. Otherwise you end up buying many things which you did not need and buy something, the expiry of which is just one day.”

Al Basrawi exhorted the consumers to contact the PACP through hotline number 70089009, social media like Instagram, facebook and twitter in case of any discrepancy they notice in promotion sale or for any other quality and service related issues.