Major Price Reset Brings Permanent Savings to UAE Shoppers
Residents across the United Arab Emirates can expect significant relief on their weekly grocery bills as one of the nation's most established supermarket chains implements sweeping, permanent price reductions. Choithrams, a trusted name in UAE retail for decades, has launched a strategic pricing overhaul affecting approximately 10,000 essential products, marking one of the largest retail price resets in recent years.
Not a Promotion, But a New Pricing Standard
Unlike temporary discount campaigns or seasonal sales, these price cuts are designed to be locked in for the long term. Retail executives emphasize that the initiative establishes "everyday lower pricing" as the new normal, providing households with consistent, predictable savings rather than fleeting promotional offers.
Mark Mortimer-Davies, Chief Executive Officer of Choithrams, confirmed the permanent nature of the adjustments, stating they represent the supermarket's new everyday standard for customers throughout the Emirates. The timing is particularly strategic, arriving as many families closely monitor budgets in anticipation of Ramadan, when grocery expenditure traditionally increases.
How the Price Cuts Are Being Implemented
The ambitious price reset will be rolled out in three distinct phases during the first half of the year. The initial phase alone encompasses approximately 3,500 products and is projected to return an estimated AED 13 million in savings to consumers in this round.
On average, prices have been reduced by roughly 15 percent across the affected items. The scope is comprehensive, covering:
- Essential grocery staples like rice, lentils, and cooking oil
- Fresh produce including dairy, eggs, and bakery items
- Everyday non-food products such as cleaning supplies and household goods
While food categories have seen solid double-digit percentage drops, household cleaning and non-food essentials have experienced even more substantial reductions, with some items slashed by over 20 percent.
Detailed Price Comparison Examples
The table below illustrates specific examples of the price adjustments across various essential categories:
Bakery & Dairy
- Fresh Milk (1L): From Dh7.50 to Dh6.50 (13% drop)
- White Bread (Loaf): From Dh5.50 to Dh4.85 (12% drop)
- Fresh Eggs (Dozen): From Dh12.75 to Dh11.20 (12% drop)
Pantry Basics
- White Rice (1kg): From Dh9.00 to Dh7.90 (12% drop)
- Red Lentils (500g): From Dh6.50 to Dh5.70 (12% drop)
- Cooking Oil (1.5L): From Dh18.00 to Dh15.80 (12% drop)
Household & Frozen Items
- Laundry Detergent (3kg): From Dh45.00 to Dh36.00 (Dh9.00 savings)
- Frozen Chicken Breasts (1kg): From Dh32.00 to Dh27.50 (Dh4.50 savings)
- Dishwashing Liquid (1L): From Dh12.00 to Dh9.60 (Dh2.40 savings)
Consumer Insights Driving the Strategy
This pricing reset follows an extensive 2025 customer survey involving nearly 8,000 shoppers. The research revealed two critical insights: consumers maintain strong trust in the Choithrams brand, but they also desire greater everyday value for their money.
Dinesh Pagarani, Director at Choithrams, explained that the company recognizes the budgeting challenges many households face, especially in the lead-up to Ramadan. The new pricing strategy is specifically designed to help customers plan their weekly shopping with increased confidence and financial predictability.
Choithrams emphasizes that this represents a structural shift in their business model rather than a one-off discount campaign. The objective is to establish consistently low prices that align with other major retailers while maintaining the quality and variety that customers expect.
Broader UAE Context for Price Management
This initiative occurs within a larger framework of efforts by UAE authorities to manage consumer prices and safeguard household purchasing power. The UAE Ministry of Economy has recently introduced innovative tools, including a national digital price-monitoring platform that tracks essential commodity prices in real time, helping ensure stable and fair market pricing.
This regulatory environment reflects the UAE's broader objectives of promoting market transparency, controlling inflation, and enhancing consumer protection, particularly for essential items such as:
- Rice
- Eggs
- Dairy products
- Sugar
- Other daily necessities
Across the retail sector, other supermarket chains have taken similar steps in recent years. For instance, Carrefour has implemented price-freeze campaigns on everyday goods during previous seasons, indicating a growing industry trend toward price stability for essential commodities.
The Choithrams price reset represents a significant development in UAE retail, offering tangible financial relief to consumers while setting a new benchmark for everyday pricing in the competitive supermarket landscape.
