‘Start shopping now to avoid Ramadan rush in Oman'

Muscat: To avoid rush and long queues in front of cashiers’ windows, the Public Authority for Consumer Protection (PACP) has called on the public to start shopping from now for the holy month of Ramadan.
Speaking to the media department at the PACP, an official explained that postponing shopping till the last minute is not a good habit.
The PACP is putting in extra efforts to monitor the markets and guarantees the availability of commodities in different markets in the Sultanate.
Hilal Al Ismaili, Director of market regulation and control at the PACP, said the authority has been conducting awareness campaigns to educate the public on the right way of shopping.
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“This is to avoid over spending on unnecessary items,” said Al Ismaili. He added that such behaviour prompts vendors to exploit the public’s need for commodities before the beginning of Ramadan. “Public should be moderate while shopping and must make a list of the exact amount of whatever the entire family requires for the holy month,” said Al Ismaili.
Spread awareness
On this issue, the PACP is organising different campaigns to spread awareness among the public and educate them about the way to shop, especially for Ramadan and Eid, according to a PACP source.
Each year, the PACP usually provides a Ramadan basket, containing 19 basic food commodities, in stores at reasonable prices. It also coordinates with vendors to ensure an uninterrupted supply of items in the market.
Raising prices
The new law under Royal Decree no. 66/2014 regulates punishment for offenders in addition to the six resolutions issued by the PACP on raising prices without justification and without obtaining approval from the authority.
He added that as much as OMR800 could be imposed as a penalty in some cases.