mind-boggling Price Hikes

sesame.street43
By sesame.street43

Barely it's been one month since the implementation of the Emir of Qatar's Royal Decree  to increase the salaries for the local population working  with the   govt as well asin the Army (( Congratulations )) it's their country and they deserve  it.

However my main concern is with   the Merchants who are already exploiting the Market.

Last night i went shopping for some foodstuff items at Al-Mera and i was  totally taken aback and shocked at how prices  have gone sky-rocketing so badly with greedy selfish  business people are exploiting and capitalizing on the generosity  of the Emir of Qatar.

The Ministry of Econmoy and the Chamber of Commerce need to do something about this completely unexplained and unnecessary exploitation of consumers by these business establishments.

Even prices for car-wash  which is already high has incrased even more.

 

By stealth• 22 Sep 2011 22:44
stealth

what price rise? where?If its in the restaurants- why bother about them?the basic foodstuffs price has not increased isnt it?

By Alumnar• 22 Sep 2011 21:28
Alumnar

I still remember being told how stupid I was if I thought that the salary increases would affect the population very soon through increase in groceries. That was on the topic about the salary increases.

Shame - I was right! And what a surprise!

By SUBRAHMANYA• 22 Sep 2011 18:11
Rating: 2/5
SUBRAHMANYA

Sorry friend i am not any inspector in any department but an ordinary customer any any one the list is exhaustive as it contains 220 items and i saw the same displayed in Almeera, Lulu and carrefour prominently and i couldnt see the same in FFC but i am sure they would have displayed.

By SUBRAHMANYA• 22 Sep 2011 18:07
SUBRAHMANYA

I never to you as an item, item means the products that as customers we buy but never referred to you.

By SUBRAHMANYA• 22 Sep 2011 18:05
SUBRAHMANYA

Please dont think i referred to you as item, item in retail means things we buy or sku's( stock keeping unit )

By tiger84• 22 Sep 2011 14:42
Rating: 5/5
tiger84

My qatari friends were at istanbul, they ordered shwarma .. they noticed the price has been hiked up from 12 to 15 Riyals  .....After knowing about the price they left the restaurant and they send the message in blackberry about not using istanbul which resulted in their business. now we see very less people @ istanbul restaurant comparing earlier.

By gtrman• 22 Sep 2011 14:05
gtrman

@subrama

are u by any chance an inspector for the consumer department? becuz i dont think tht list  U MENTIONED was exhaustive....there were many complaints both in the arabic and english papers abt consumers complaining abt prices not being fixed.....the list included only sum of the products available...tht didnt mean tht they wudnt increase the prices of other commodities....for example when u go to a department store here and ask for a certain product they wud tell u tht its finished and offer u the alternate with a higher price...the dept has to enforce a more stronger mandate and inspections if they plan to achieve what they and all of us believe in....

as rightfully put by some before me...... u wud be naive to the core to assume tht price rise wudnt come with the increase in salaries....watch as most bigger private firms also follow suit with the pay rises...and gladly see the automatic rise in not jus food but in all services and commodities....especially in these tuff times we are in for one big ride....BUCKLE UP FOLKS!!!!!

By FlyingAce• 22 Sep 2011 14:01
FlyingAce

We got a Pay Rise of 700 QAR... :(

By anonymous• 22 Sep 2011 13:54
anonymous

Normal but Sad! Hope they can do something about it as it will cause negative impact on the over all economy and growth of Qatar ..

By britexpat• 22 Sep 2011 13:33
britexpat

My bad..  I am blind as a bat without my specs :O(

By Rizks• 22 Sep 2011 13:26
Rizks

britey, she is my galpriend...dare u keep a bad eye on her !:(

Will break ur specs with a big brick and remove ur eye balls and play hockey with it ! :)

By EXLegend• 22 Sep 2011 13:22
EXLegend

hajmola ... recent reports suggest that lungi prices will not increase due to the heavy competition in the market and number of regular customers.reports stated that lungi users have warned that if lungi prices go up, they will stop cutting moustache completely to save money.  

By britexpat• 22 Sep 2011 12:54
britexpat

May i ask who the Cutie is with the near empty shopping trolley ?

By sesame.street43• 22 Sep 2011 12:52
Rating: 2/5
sesame.street43

@ Wakeke. We are already headin for the Devil's Triangle. with one way out.  terminate  your RP and go home. I know i'ma do that if things continue towards that direction. and i urge everybody esle to do that too.  I mean what's the point of  leaving home if the grabby hands those business thugs are going  to rip you off and take all your money. If they think they still need us they gotta relax their grip.

By wakeke• 22 Sep 2011 12:34
wakeke

let just pray that everything (committee meetings) is not only for "show" otherwise we're in for a big crisis except those expats who receive hefty salaries and allowances.

By redtreble• 22 Sep 2011 12:31
redtreble

Committees or no committees, anybody who things prices aren't going to shoot up after those salary increases is naive in the extreme. 

By Khanan• 22 Sep 2011 11:54
Khanan

TB! Good for them.

I was unaware of it. I was referring to the Emiri Decree that includes only Government and MoD Staff.

By s_isale• 22 Sep 2011 11:52
s_isale

the price of which basic foodstuff has increased considerably?

By timebandit• 22 Sep 2011 11:51
timebandit

QNB locals got a 60% pay rise 2 days ago

By gtrman• 22 Sep 2011 11:49
gtrman

 

oooohh am i surprised..... cheez its natural....

(pointing a finger) we saw tht one coming now didnt we??

By Khanan• 22 Sep 2011 11:44
Khanan

only government employee got the payrasie, not all locals. Many run their business and much more employed in private sectors (Banks, Real Estate ect)...

By sesame.street43• 22 Sep 2011 11:40
Rating: 3/5
sesame.street43

Subarhamanya. i keep a list of all my main shopping items every month. some of the items  i buy them all the time and i know them by heart and i know they definitely doubled in price. the price tags  they have now are not the same price tags they had before Ramadan.and what has car-wash charges and towels got to do with Ramdan's reducation.last night a bought a small tiny peice of  Indian made hanky   for QR.30 and this  was the cheapest one i could find! imagine i'm wipping my hand with 30 Ryals every time i wash my hands! 

By s_isale• 22 Sep 2011 11:39
s_isale

still theres no comparative price list showing price rise.Fresh milk is till the same price.Most of the vegetables and fruits have also not increased considerably.

By Chairboy• 22 Sep 2011 11:32
Chairboy

I heard the committee are advocating a new policy of double pricing at all retail outlets irrespective of product - the nationals are going to be charged 60% more than the "face value' of all items they buy whereas non nationals will only be required to pay "face value" - I think its the right move.

By SUBRAHMANYA• 22 Sep 2011 11:26
Rating: 5/5
SUBRAHMANYA

With reference to the steep increases in Prices recently all us as customers need to understand that no retailer i mean the main players Almeera,Lulu,Carrefour,Family Food Center,Dasman will increase any prices without getting the necessary clearance papers from the Ministry as if they do without these papers there will be very heavy penalities.

During the Ramadan period there was a big reduction in almost 220 items as per Ministry instructions to all retailers and this from 15th of July 2011 till 31-08-2011 and after this period the prices will be rolled back to pre ramadan prices.

So please let us not think that 1 retailer is increases prices just like that as no retailer can increase prices without proper clearances and as customers many of us dont this details.

All the essential items like Rice,Milk,Laban,Milk Powder,Sun Flower Oil,Tissues,Aluminum Foil etc were reduced during the above referred period now the prices are rolled and the difference is quite big so we are feeling the pinch as the reduced prices were displayed during this period in all the outlets.

By cherukkan• 22 Sep 2011 11:25
cherukkan

hajmola, I think you can stick with your under garments (it will be a fashion)

By Rizks• 22 Sep 2011 11:18
Rating: 3/5
Rizks

When they got 60% increase so obviously they will increase the price of commodittees....:)

As for non-locals like us, all we can do is pay for the items as per their wish price....:(

By sesame.street43• 22 Sep 2011 11:11
sesame.street43

Timebandit. look at her  shopping trolley she is smiling cuz now that  somebody is pent on ripping her wallet to shreds she's  learned new ways to fight back. which is ( Minimum spending policy. and second rated items are not bad items) lol.so they want to work me out like a robot and then rip me off at the casher counters!  /: . but hell no  lol  i know  a way to keep those greedy grabby hands off my wallet !

By timebandit• 22 Sep 2011 11:03
timebandit

Car sales are going through the roof

By Chairboy• 22 Sep 2011 11:02
Chairboy

The Committee are out shopping.

By cherukkan• 22 Sep 2011 11:01
cherukkan

Yesterday, I was shocked when I collected my dresses from the laundry. They increased the charges by 20%.

By Khanan• 22 Sep 2011 10:57
Khanan

need to take action quick..

a

By ssbnss• 22 Sep 2011 10:56
ssbnss

LuLu Milk Powder 2.25kg was 42/- a few days back, yesterday it was 54/-

By Khanan• 22 Sep 2011 10:55
Rating: 4/5
Khanan

Shawarma price increased from QR 6 to QR 9/- :(

Half BBQ chkn used to cost QR12/- now QR 15/-

heard of increase in rents too..:(:(

By timebandit• 22 Sep 2011 10:55
timebandit

DOHA: Responding to a public outcry demanding strict measures to curb any arbitrary hike in the prices of goods and services in the local market following the recent hike in the salaries of Qatari government employees, the Cabinet has decided to form a committee at the Ministry of Business and Trade to tackle this issue.The committee will be responsible for “monitoring the prices of goods and services and implementing appropriate mechanism to maintain stability,” the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs H E Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud said, while announcing the decision yesterday.He said the decision to set up the committee was taken on the basis of a directive by the Deputy Emir and Heir Apparent H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to “reduce the unjustified increase in the prices of some commodities and services,” following the salary hike and “deal firmly with this phenomenon which harms the citizens’ interests.”The Cabinet decision has been hailed by many as a timely move that will instill confidence among consumers and bring stability in the market.The hefty salary hike had triggered widespread fears about an imminent price hike in the market and even prompted a group of citizens to launch an awareness campaign through social networking sites.Several citizens have been calling for a new body with more powers to monitor the market, having had the feeling that the Consumer Protection Department (CPD) had failed to act. Several Qatari businessmen, while welcoming the Cabinet decision, hoped that the new committee would compliment the efforts of the CPD and put a permanent mechanism to check any unjustifiable hike in the prices.“This is a good initiative from the government. We hope that the new panel would be effective and put a permanent mechanism to regulate the prices. The committee should monitor the prices of not only the consumer goods but also various services,” Nasser Al Meer of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI) told The Peninsulayesterday.He said the QCCI at its meeting on Monday had discussed this issue and decided to set up a panel to do a comparative study of the prices before and after the salary hike.Abdullah Abdul Aziz Al Khater, another prominent Qatari businessman said the new committee should tackle the issue “in a comprehensive way keeping the principles of the free market in view.”“There are ways to control the market without putting a ceiling on the prices. We hope the new committee would effectively tackle the issue by preventing monopolies to protect the rights of the consumers,” Al Khater told Al Sharq.Hamad Salman Al Hajari, a Qatari investor said the new panel would supplement CPD’s efforts to control the market and ensure that the prices will not be hiked without any justification.“Qatar has an open market and the prices must be subject to the market factors. The prices can not be hiked only to cash in from a salary hike,” said Al Hajari. http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/qatar/166265-govt-to-set-up-panel-to-check-price-hikes.html

By jimnet• 22 Sep 2011 10:54
Rating: 4/5
jimnet

you know what, its all part of the big game......no one questions and no one answers right.

Try to lead a good life without complaining and thank God for what you are today and what you have today. Do good to people and be generous and remember there is only one life and let us not waste it for the fading treasures and pleasures of this world.

We do not know what is going to happen in the next moment. Nations rise up against nations, earthquakes, wars, pestilence, corruptions, tsunamis......what not !!

Dear QL ppl, Thank God the almighty for the blessings which we enjoy today.

By timebandit• 22 Sep 2011 10:53
timebandit

The lady in the picture seems happy enough

By s_isale• 22 Sep 2011 10:51
s_isale

could you please tell for which items the price has increased manifold?

By Chairboy• 22 Sep 2011 10:46
Chairboy

But we were all assured this was ALL under the authorities control .......................kool aid!!!

Retailers taking advantage and being opportunists - who saw that coming!!!!

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