Manama: Kuwait’s Union of Consumer Cooperative Societies has pledged to work on decreasing the prices of around 400 food and non-food commodities by up to 55 per cent, in attempt to ease financial pressure on consumers during Ramadan.
"The union is keen on providing the best available goods at the most suitable prices during the holy month of Ramadan to decrease the financial burden on citizens and residents," Hussain Al Duehis, the union president, told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).
"Such efforts by the union will not be confined to Ramadan and will be constant and regular."
Al Duheis said that the union had already lowered prices of around 100 commodities by between 5.5 and 26 per cent.
Ramadan is expected to start on August 11, depending on the sighting of the crescent. Muslims use a lunar calendar to determine religious events.
In an effort to ensure people's safety, Kuwait’s municipality called on citizens and residents not to be tempted and buy home-made products that are advertised through various ways during the holy month.
"Such food commodities are not monitored or regulated through health officials and therefore represent a danger to consumers’ general health," Ali Hussain Abdeen, the Acting Director General of Public Relations, said in a press release.
"The municipality will be swift in reacting to those who violate food regulations. Punitive action includes the shutdown of food storages if found they were selling their products before the completion of tests by the health ministry," he said, quoted by Kuwait daily Arab Times.
