The United Arab Emirates has launched a digital platform enabling consumers to compare prices for more than 8,300 essential products sold across 525 retail outlets operated by 13 major retailers. The Essential Goods Prices Platform, introduced by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism in April 2026, aims to promote transparency in the retail sector and support informed purchasing decisions.
Since its inception, the platform has attracted about 143,720 visitors between mid-April and July, averaging over 1,450 visits per day. By aggregating price information from numerous stores, the system provides consumers with a centralized resource to review and compare prices before shopping.
The platform’s data is not only intended for consumer use; it also serves as a monitoring tool for the Ministry to track price fluctuations, analyze market trends, and detect potential irregularities. This digital approach allows for continuous monitoring of essential goods prices, supplementing the Ministry’s traditional periodic field inspections.
A central digital database underpins the platform, consolidating real-time pricing information from hundreds of retail outlets. This enables more comprehensive oversight of the market, reducing reliance on intermittent data collection methods. The Ministry stated that the platform enhances transparency by uniting pricing details from key retailers in one accessible digital hub.
Plans are underway to expand the platform’s scope by including additional products and retailers, which would broaden the range of options available to consumers for comparison.
The initiative forms part of a broader digital transformation strategy within the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, focusing on consumer protection and improved market oversight. While the platform strengthens digital monitoring capabilities, it does not replace physical inspections. Instead, it complements on-the-ground efforts by providing inspection teams with current data and market indicators to guide their work.
The Ministry uses data collected through the platform to conduct periodic analyses of price trends and market dynamics across the UAE. These reviews help identify abnormal price movements or emerging trends, which may prompt further investigation or verification by officials.
Safeya Al Safi, Assistant Undersecretary for the Control and Commercial Governance Sector at the Ministry, highlighted the platform’s role in supporting national priorities, including ensuring the availability of essential goods and safeguarding consumer rights. She emphasized that the tool provides a more consistent and precise method for monitoring price changes and market conditions.