Qataris flee to Saudi for shopping due to rising prices
Rising prices are a burning social issue and being hotly debated in the living rooms of Qatari families as well as on the local social media.
How an increasing number of Qataris are making frequent visits to towns in Saudi Arabia on weekends to buy household items because prices are high in Qatar, is a subject of mockery by some social media commentators.
"People leave their countries to escape war, famine and instability, but we are leaving our country (to visit towns in a neighbouring country) due to the 'fire' of price rise," said a commentator who gave his name as Nasser Al Ali. "A handful of traders are holding people to ransom," he said.
The Consumer Protection Department (CPD) (under the Ministry of Economy and Commerce) has come in for criticism by a number of tweeters.
"It (the CPD) must instead be renamed as Traders' Protection Department," said a commentator, poking fun at the state consumer rights watchdog.
"Don't look at our luxury cars and palatial homes," another commentator wrote. "These are all thanks to debt."
Yet another man said that he once met a vegetable trader from an Arab country and he said that he wanted to open a vegetable shop in Qatar since profit margins are high as Qataris don't bother about prices.
"Increasing salaries or making the CPD active to fight inflation is not the solution. The solution is to collectively escape to Al Hessa and other towns in eastern Saudi Arabia," wrote one man.
Among the items Qataris buy in the neighbouring country are home furniture, furnishings, car spare parts and things for brides.
The problem in Qatar, according to some social media participants, is that the market is not monitored by consumer rights watchdog officials closely and laws are not strictly enforced. "When the cat is away the mice are at play," wrote one.
Earlier, the justification given for price rise in Qatar was global inflation, but now when commodity prices are falling worldwide the rate of inflation still remains high.
Some commentators attributed the price rise to what they said were skyrocketing rents of shops, which average between QR20,000 and QR40,000 a month.
"Demolition of old buildings is still going on," said the commentator. Prices are lower in Saudi Arabia because shop rents are low, he added, Arabic daily Al Watan reported yesterday. [The Peninsula]
does not matter to them if prices go "UP", they are not "DIRECTLY" affected as they can go to another country to do their shopping. I hope this people have "REAL BRAINS" to analyze situation. REAL problem should be VERY VERY obvious, right? JUST in case they don't get it (for the fact they ignored reality) let me make it CLEAR ; Prices go "UP" because "RENTS" are too HIGH! PERIOD! lower rents, lower cost on commodity, GET IT?
For Locals, money doesn't matter. They have salary adjustments too accordingly. what about us? The prices are increasing every 3 months and we don't get even single penny increase since last 3 years. Why there is no LAW to monitor these things? Why they don't make investigation about such kind of private companies who are treating us like this??? ONLY God may help us.
Indeed! Shop rent is main fact of rising commodity price..
I remind previous report that, the issues will arise in coming future, if continuing the shop rent hike.
Also I didn't hesitate to mention that, the fact will effect even Qatari nations also..
The circumstances is very serious and will become more complicated, if govt. could not do any thing to control the rent hike..Also the situation of facing low oil price.
....if the Qataris are running to Saudi Arabia to do their shopping because of high prices, where do they want the expatriate to go?
i suggests they look for solution to the problem instead of running away from it.
rent rent rent prices. the input cost is too high for any business in Qatar. also it is very small market.
There is no control on increase in Rent in Qatar...Then how can we balance cost of living..
This is the scenario in 2014 still 8 years ......Be Ready