UAE residents forced to change shopping habits

Dubai: Spiralling cost of living is forcing people to change their shopping habits, say Gulf News readers.

Many UAE residents have made adjustments to accommodate inflation. "I used to shop quite often for clothes. Now I have made a conscious effort to reduce such expenses, as I feel it pinching my pocket," said Omar Al Busaidy, a 22-year-old Emirati living in Dubai.

"I have started monitoring my daily expenditure with the cost of every item increasing unreasonably."

Several residents have started budgeting more often for essential and expenditure.

"We prefer to divide our budget into essentials like food, electricity and water bills as well as clothes and other necessary items," said Ana Leah Mejia-Rivera, a Filipina living in Dubai.

"I would prefer to shop at a place which gives basic food items at a price lower to other supermarkets, because we have to limit our spending," she said. The Union Cooperative hypermarket chain seems to be offering some solace to cost-burdened consumers.

"We ... prefer to buy our staples from Union Cooperative as the prices are cheaper," Al Busaidy said.

But there are those who do not seem to be impacted by the cost of living.

"I still prefer to shop at places that are convenient and close to my residence," said Deepali Tulpule, a 32-year-old Indian expatriate.