Abu Dhabi: Cans of Tang powdered juice are not defective and will therefore not be withdrawn from shelves of major retailers across the UAE, a Ministry of Economy official said.
Speaking during an inspection of one of the capital’s major hypermarkets, Dr Hashim Al Nuaimi, director of the Consumer Protection Department at the ministry, revealed that the hole visible in Tang powdered juice cans is a functional part of the packaging and does not constitute packaing defect.
“It prevents the powder from drying out due to excessive heat and allows the product to ‘breathe’,” he said. “It has been withdrawn by some members of the GCC but the ministry has conducted its own investigation into the matter and the Tang cans have been officially declared safe for consumption,” he added.
During the visit, Al Nuaimi also highlighted that prices of some 2,500 products across the country have been ‘locked’ by the ministry. This means that retailers are not allowed to change these fixed costs throughout the year.
“We have chosen these products based on customer demand,” the official stated.
Centralised
Additionally, a centralised system prevents retailers from increasing prices of items without obtaining approval from the appropriate department, preventing stores from changing their prices sporadically.
The ministry organises inspections before Ramadan each year to ensure that price irregularities do not occur and that products are in good condition. Al Nuaimi urged individuals not to overbuy as this may lead to items being thrown away without being used.
He also stated that the Customer Protection hotline, 600522225 is set up to allow UAE consumers to make suggestions and complaints to the ministry.
