What the Essential Goods Prices Platform is
The Essential Goods Prices Platform is a free tool from the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism that lets shoppers compare the prices of everyday food items across stores. It launched in April 2026, and by July 2026 it covered 8,343 products at 525 outlets run by 13 retailers. The tool lets you build a list of products and compare the total bill across stores, so you can choose where to shop before you leave home.
What it covers
| Category | Typical unit |
|---|---|
| Cooking oil | Litres |
| Wheat and rice | Kilograms |
| Dairy | Litres or pieces |
| Legumes and sugar | Kilograms |
| Eggs and bread | Pieces |
| Chicken | Kilograms |
The platform has nine categories: cooking oil, wheat, rice, dairy, legumes, sugar, eggs, bread and chicken. Each entry shows a price, a per-unit price and the store, and the browse view shows the lowest and highest price in each category. Prices carry a last-updated timestamp, so check the date before you rely on one.
How to compare prices, step by step
- Open the platform on the Ministry of Economy and Tourism website.
- Filter by category, subcategory, brand, unit, emirate, store and branch.
- Select product cards to build your list.
- Open the compare view and read the results under the retailers, other products and nearby retailers tabs.
- Use the per-unit price, not the shelf price, to compare packs of different sizes.
Example Scenario: One Basket, Two Stores
The stores and prices in this example are made up. A shopper needs 2 litres of cooking oil, 5 kilograms of rice and a dozen eggs. At Store A the basket totals AED 62.00, and at Store B it totals AED 54.50. The difference is AED 7.50 for one trip. Because the per-unit prices matter, the shopper also checks that Store B’s rice is a 5-kilogram bag and not a 4-kilogram one before choosing.
What the ministry does with the data
The ministry builds a price database, publishes periodic analyses of price changes and their causes, and links digital monitoring with field inspections. It says it will keep adding products and outlets.
If a price looks wrong
The ministry’s consumer protection line is 800 1222. Its site also has pages for consumer complaints, price increase requests and product recalls. Use the same line to ask about consumer rights in a dispute.
Frequently asked questions
Does it cover non-food items?
No. The nine categories are all essential food items.
Are the prices live?
The platform shows a last-updated time on its prices, and a shelf price can differ on the day, so treat it as a guide.
Can I compare packs of different sizes?
Yes, use the per-unit price rather than the shelf price. Check the pack size too, for example a 5-kilogram bag against a 4-kilogram one.
Where else can I raise a price concern?
The ministry’s site also has pages for consumer complaints, price increase requests and product recalls, and the same 800 1222 line answers questions about consumer rights in a dispute.
Where to go next
- Your consumer rights when a used car is faulty
- UAE school fee instalment plans compared
- Dubai rent increase rules
Related guides
- UAE Anti-Fraud Rule: Pull Fake Goods in 24 Hours
- UAE Telemarketing Rules: Dh5,000 Fine, DNCR
- Abu Dhabi Police Warning: Fake Chalet and Holiday Home Accounts
- Fake Insurance and Gold Deal Ads in Dubai: Red Flags and What to Do
- Fake Government Messages in the UAE: How to Spot Impersonation Scams and What to Do
