UAE refers poultry market cartel case to Public Prosecution

April 19, 2026 / 4:32 PM

Sharjah 24: The Ministry of Economy and Tourism has referred a group involved in monopolistic practices in the poultry market to the Federal Public Prosecution for investigation and legal action. This action follows confirmation of their exploitation of current exceptional circumstances, collusion to fix and manipulate poultry prices, and unjustified price hikes, in violation of the Competition Law and Consumer Protection Law.

Intensified monitoring campaigns and legal enforcement

These measures come as part of ongoing monitoring campaigns conducted in cooperation with relevant authorities, which have been intensified recently to enhance market oversight and ensure compliance with laws and regulations.

The Ministry stressed that the Competition Law provides a framework to address monopolistic practices and illegal economic cartels that harm consumers, while allowing the Ministry to investigate and act against anti-competitive behaviour, whether through complaints or its own initiative.

Prohibited anti-competitive practices under the law

Article 5 of the Competition Law prohibits agreements that restrict competition, including price fixing, bid rigging, production limitations, market allocation, boycotts, and the manipulation or hoarding of goods in ways that disrupt market mechanisms and harm fair competition.

Risk to economic and food security

The Ministry warned that such monopolistic practices not only violate the Competition Law and Consumer Protection Law, but also exploit exceptional regional circumstances, posing risks to economic stability and food security, and undermining principles of economic justice and market protection efforts.

Essential goods price controls

The Ministry clarified that poultry is among nine essential consumer goods—alongside cooking oil, eggs, dairy products, rice, sugar, legumes, bread, and wheat—whose prices cannot be increased without prior approval, under Cabinet Resolution No. (120) of 2022.

Strong regulatory framework and zero tolerance policy

It reaffirmed that the UAE has a robust legislative and regulatory framework to address violations and monopolistic practices, ensuring market stability and balanced relations between traders and consumers, while maintaining strict oversight of essential commodity prices.

Commitment to consumer protection and market stability

The Ministry emphasised that protecting consumer rights and ensuring market stability are top priorities, stressing zero tolerance for exploitation of exceptional circumstances and confirming continued monitoring, inspections, and enforcement actions, including fines and referrals to prosecution when necessary.

Public urged to report violations

The Ministry urged the public to report market violations, shortages, monopolistic practices, fraud, or unjustified price increases via 8001222 or relevant local authorities to ensure swift legal action and protection of consumer rights.

Nationwide inspections and enforcement results

The Ministry reported that between February 28 and April 19, 2026, it conducted about 15,480 inspection tours across UAE markets in cooperation with local authorities, detecting 312 violations—most related to unjustified price increases—and issuing 1,005 warnings to offenders.