Muscat – Consumer Protection Authority (CPA) has significantly increased its market monitoring efforts to oversee the movement of goods and ensure supplier compliance with national regulations. In response to rapid economic shifts, the Authority implemented a series of systematic inspection campaigns from early March to mid-April. These operations were designed to address practices that could potentially disrupt the balance of the market or cause harm to the interests of the public.

During this intensive monitoring period, officials recorded more than 500 violations across various commercial sectors. Notably, 172 of these cases were specifically related to unauthorised price increases, with a particular focus on the fruits and vegetables sector. The highest number of infractions was documented in Muscat, followed by South Batinah and the Sharqiyah regions. As part of these efforts, a specialised field programme was established to monitor the “Silal” central market, focusing on pricing mechanisms and the steady inflow of products. While findings indicated that goods remain generally available, the Authority has taken strict legal action against non-compliant suppliers to maintain a fair and safe consumer environment.