Retailers in Dubai are advising consumers to explore alternative options and take advantage of promotions during the upcoming holy month of Ramadan. This comes after the UAE’s Ministry of Economy permitted a temporary 13% increase in prices of eggs and poultry due to challenges related to raw material imports and high production costs. 

In response, retailers such as Union Coop, Al Maya, and Noon have announced discounts and promotions to support consumers. Union Coop, a government-backed retailer, stated that the ministry’s decision aims to preserve food security and a balanced merchant-consumer relationship across all marketplaces at the national level. Al Maya Supermarket has prepared various offers and promotions to meet the demands of customers during Ramadan, with a focus on the food and beverage category. Noon.com has announced discounts of up to 70% on several items, with the campaign running from March 27 until April 4. The Redseer Strategy Consultants suggest that consumers in the UAE and Mena region are increasingly turning towards community channels for informed purchasing decisions during Ramadan.

Starting next week, every Saturday during Ramadan, visitors to Dubai can enjoy fireworks displays at various locations including Bluewaters, The Beach at Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR), Al Seef, and Dubai Festival City Mall. The shows will run from April 1 to April 15 and begin at 10pm, with no admission fee. To make it easier to attend, bus or marine transport will also be available to the venues, timings for which can be found on the RTA website.

Traffic police officials in the UAE are reminding motorists to drive safely and follow traffic rules during the month of Ramadan. Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Alay Al Naqbi, Director of the Sharjah Police Traffic and Patrol Department, emphasized the importance of driving responsibly, maintaining a safe distance, and adhering to the speed limit, especially during the holy month. He also urged drivers to avoid parking in front of mosques and to call the police if they observe any violations.

 To ensure road safety, Sharjah’s traffic department will deploy 100 patrols, distribute iftar meals, and regulate entry and exit to and from mosque parking lots. Lt Col Al Naqbi reminded the public to exercise caution and not to let their children go out before iftar to prevent accidents. Meanwhile, Brigadier Dr Mohammad Saeed Al Hamidi, Director-General of Central Operations at Ras Al Khaimah Police, warned of common mistakes that cause fatal accidents during Ramadan, such as speeding, exhaustion, and lack of lane discipline. He also urged drivers with diabetes to prioritize their health and call for medical support if necessary.

Free parking during Ramadan and special timings for public transport services have been announced by transport authorities in different emirates in UAE. During Taraweeh prayers, motorists are urged to avoid parking their vehicles in front of mosques and follow traffic rules. The timings for Darb toll gates in Abu Dhabi will be changed with peak hours being between 8am and 10am and 2pm to 4pm from Monday to Saturday. The Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) of the Department of Municipalities and Transport also announced that Mawaqif parking fees will remain the same from 8am to 12am, except on Sundays when it’s free. The customer happiness centres in Abu Dhabi City Municipality and Al Ain City Municipality will be open on Monday to Thursday from 9am to 3pm and on Fridays from 9am to 12pm. Public bus timings in Abu Dhabi and suburbs will be from 5am/6am to 1am the next day, while in Al Ain, buses will operate from 7am to 2am, and in its suburbs from 6am until 11pm, with some services operating until 12am. Abu Dhabi Express services will operate from 6am to 11pm during weekdays and 6am to 1am on weekends, while the Abu Dhabi Link service will operate from 6am to 11pm daily. 

Dubai’s public parking timings on Monday to Saturday will be from 8am to 6pm and 8pm to 12 midnight, while TECOM area will be from 8am to 6pm. Dubai Metro’s Red and Green Stations will operate from 5am to 12 midnight on Monday to Thursday, 5am to 1am on Friday, and 5am to 12 midnight on Saturday. On Sunday, services will be from 8am to 12 midnight. The Dubai Tram will operate from 6am to 1am from Monday to Saturday and 9am to 1am on Sunday, while bus routes will operate from 6am to 1am the next day. The intercity bus routes that will be operational include E16 from Al Sabkha to Hatta, E100 from Al Ghubaiba to Abu Dhabi, E101 from Ibn Battuta to Abu Dhabi, E102 from Ibn Battuta to Al Mussafah, E201 from Al Ghubaiba to Al Ain, E303 from the Union Station to Al Jubail in Sharjah, E306 from Al Ghubaiba to Al Jubail in Sharjah, E307 from City Centre Deira to Al Jubail in Sharjah, E307A from Abu Hail to Al Jubail in Sharjah, E315 from Etisalat station to Muwaileh in Sharjah, E400 from the Union station to Ajman, E411 from the Union station to Ajman, and E700 from the Union Station to Fujairah. Vehicle technical testing centers will have business hours from Saturday to Thursday between 9am to 3pm.