Coronavirus: UAE retailers face Dh100k fine for raising price of hand sanitisers

The Ministry of Economy warned outlets could also face closure if found altering cost of basic hand hygiene products

Washing hands is one of the most important precautions needed to avoid the spread of Covid-19. The National

Shopkeepers found hiking the price of hand sanitisers and soaps amid the Covid-19 outbreak could face hefty penalties and temporary closure, the Ministry of Economy said on Monday.

It said outlets would be issued with fines ranging from Dh5,000 to Dh100,000 if inspections revealed they were inflating the cost of basic hand hygiene products.

The alert came after customers in some parts of the country complained that shops had dramatically increased the price of a number of in-demand products such as soap, sanitisers and wet wipes, Al Roeya reported.

In a few cases, retailers more than doubled the original price of items to cash in on people looking to protect themselves against the virus.

The ministry said that it would be conducting extensive inspection campaigns across the country to make sure shops were imposing the correct pricing guidelines on the selected items.

It said such exploitation is considered a clear breach of the law and said outlets could face closure if caught flouting the rules.

Residents were advised to report any such cases via the ministry’s mobile application.

Regular hand washing has been cited as one of the main preventive measures in containing the spread of Covid-19.

Health authorities advised that adults and children should spend about 20 seconds scrubbing their hands, being sure to get between the fingers and under the nails.

According to official World Health Organisation advice, washing your hands with "warm soap and water or using hand sanitisers" will help kill viruses that may be present on the hands.