Price differences between health and regular foods exceeding 400%

Consumers complained about the high prices of healthy foods and diet products that are characterized by low calories and lack of fat, and they are free of added sugar and gluten, compared to traditional foods.

They told «Emirates Today» that the price differences between health and ordinary products sometimes exceed 400%, noting that the sales outlets do not offer price offers reduced on healthy foods, which constitutes a material burden on those wishing to follow a healthy lifestyle.

They added that relying on health products is no longer a luxury, but rather has become necessary to prevent diseases and promoting public health, demanding lower offers, and increasing the diversity of brands available from them, especially since the current options are limited, and do not provide many alternatives, explaining that health products include basic and non -essential varieties, such as: bread, meat, oils, sugar, pasta, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets, sweets And chocolate.

For their part, two officials in the two sales port stated that the cost of producing healthy foods is higher than its traditional counterparts, due to its dependence on high -price imported raw materials, as well as the limited production and its manufacturing lines.

They pointed out that the increasing demand for these products since the “Corona” pandemic contributed to the high prices, not only in the Emirates, but worldwide.

A few quantities

In detail, the consumer Ahmed Saeed said that there is an increase in the prices of healthy foods and products for “Diet” programs that include low calories, in addition to foods that are low -fat and free of added sugar, indicating that uninterrupted price offers are not usually offered to those foods in the outlets.

He explained that the sales outlets were offered, for example, a category imported of minced meat with low -fat meat at a price of more than 55 dirhams per kilogram, while the price per kilogram of full -fat minced meat of the same quality ranges between 40 and 42 dirhams, an increase of between 31 and 37.5%.

Saeed pointed out that the sales outlets have been putting small amounts of low -fat meat in dishes, so that the price does not seem high, then the consumer discovers that his weight is very small, so he is forced to buy a number of dishes, which constitutes a financial burden on it.

He indicated that the price of a kilogram of white sugar does not exceed 5.5 dirhams in many brands at the sales outlets, but the sugar designated for the diet, which is less than 50 grams, is sold at a price of between 11 and 15 dirhams, i.e. higher than the normal price at between 100 and 172.7%.

Said called on the outlets to offer lower price offers on healthy foods, indicating that the high prices make it difficult to rely on them more.

Limited brands

In the same context, consumer Samir Abdul Rahman complained about the high prices of healthy food and diet products, especially since some of their trademarks are very limited, which does not allow an area to choose between various brands at different prices.

He explained, for example, that the price of brown bread free of sugar and gluten is very high, as it reaches 10.3 dirhams per bag, compared to about two dirhams at most of the bag of white bread with an increase of 415%, pointing out that there are two less expensive types, but it usually does not find them because of the high demand for them, so he is forced to buy the highest price, or resort to buying the white news for its cheap price compared to the brown, although the doctor advised him Avoiding the final white flour, and the need to follow a healthy pattern for its own health conditions.

Abdul Rahman pointed to the sales outlets that sell the large white “samun” bread in two or three dirhams per pill at most, while the large brown bread sells about 10 dirhams per seed, an increase ranging between 233.3 and 400%.

He emphasized that the prices of most of the regular noodles are no more than five dirhams except for very limited types, while the prices of the “diet” pasta made from the “whole wheat grain” free of gluten ranged between 16 and 20 dirhams and more per bag with a weight of 500 grams, and sometimes 400 grams by a difference between 220% and 300%.

Physical burden

Reem Abdel Latif agreed that the prices of healthy foods that include low calories and low -fat foods and cholesterol are high, and no price offers are offered in the outlets, as they are limited; In terms of brands, which raises the material burden on them.

It indicated that the prices of cooking and frying oils are 1.5 liters usually ranged between 12 and 14 dirhams at most, while the light and cholesterol -free types ranged between 19 and 24 dirhams, an increase ranging between 58.3% and 71.4%, noting that it is rare to see reduced offers on those oils, and there are many signs of oils of various types except for low -fat light And cholesterol, as it is very few and limited, does not allow freedom of choice.

Abdul Latif complained about the high prices of chocolate and biscuits that are sugar -free and gluten, pointing out that there are some cheap types of them, but they are very small.

She considered that healthy foods are not a luxury at the present time, but rather a lifestyle that she wants to rely on more, but the high prices are an obstacle to that.

The cost of production

For his part, the official in a large sale outlet, Masoud Anal, said that the raw materials used in healthy foods and most of them are very high price in the countries of origin, which raises their final price, indicating that the margin of sales outlets from these products is few and not from the reasons for the high prices.

He added that the volume of productive processes for these foods is limited in general, because they are directed to specific groups, and are not compared to other foods that are widely produced, which raises the cost of production, especially if producers resort to opening their own production lines.

This was agreed with the official in another outlet, Hassan Rizk, adding that the lack of brands of these foods with the high demand that was observed since the “Corona” in various countries, not only the Emirates, contributed to the high prices.

Rizk pointed out that offering outlets for price offers on these products increases their sales, and contributes to attracting new consumers to them, which contributes to the expansion of the producers circle, increases alternatives and reduces their prices.

Consumers: High health food prices constitute a material burden for those wishing to follow a healthy lifestyle.

• Selling outlets: The ports profit margin of health products is few, and it is not one of the reasons for the high prices.