DOHA: More than 500 essential consumer goods including food and non-food items will become cheaper from today according to discounted Ramadan price list issued by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) yesterday.

The initiative was launched by MEC in collaboration with major shopping complexes to offer a total of 509 items such as milk, chicken, rice, flour, sugar and edible oil among others at discounted prices from this morning till the end of Ramadan.

The initiative is a part of a special Ramadan initiative launched by the Ministry under the theme #AqalMinAlWajeb, Arabic of #TheLeastWeCanDo”.

MEC in coordination with retail outlets has launched the initiative to ease the burden on consumers – citizens and expatriates during Ramadan.

The discounted price list has been circulated to all major shopping complexes and placed on the website and social networking sites of the Ministry as well.

The Ministry stressed that it will not tolerate any violations of the Consumer Protection Law and its regulations and will intensify its inspection campaigns to crack down on violations.

The Ministry added that it will refer those who violate laws and ministerial decrees to competent authorities, who will in turn take appropriate action against perpetrators in order to protect consumer rights.

The Ministry has urged all consumers to report if they come across any violation.

Prices of commodities in the price list has fallen down from 10 to 20 percent, according to a manager of a major shopping complex.

Under the revised price list, Baladna cow milk – 1 litre will be available at QR6, Al Waha fresh chicken – 1 kg at QR15.25, Sadia frozen chicken – 1 kg at QR12.50, Punjab Garden rice – 5kg at 26.75.

New prices of Yara Sunflower oil – 1.8 litre will be QR11.75 and QFM hareesh – 2kg will cost QR6.25 and QFM flour number 1 – 5kg will be available at QR16.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) has announced to provide additional “flour” in the monthly ration for citizens during the holy month of Ramadan.

The Ministry said that the citizens will receive ration supplies of a bag of flour in addition to the monthly ration of other food supplies during the holy month.

It said that the quota of flour has been applied to each ration card until May 30; a bag of flour of 50kg at the price of QR32 per ration card.

The beneficiaries of the ration items can receive the additional ration of flour through the different branches of Al Meera Consumer Products, or request the ration through the application of the MEC on mobile phone

MEC_Qatar, and consumers can update the ration card data by sending the ID number by SMS to 50026060.

MEC stressed that food supplies and subsidised products are a right of the citizens that must not be waived regardless of reasons.

The initiative is part of the Ministry’s efforts during the holy month of Ramadan. It also reflects the Ministry’s commitment to help and support citizens during the holy month, when food products account for the largest proportion of total household expenses.

The Ministry of Economy and Trade announced yesterday to increase the share of milk and sugar in the monthly ration for citizens.