According to Emirates, the higher committee for consumers protection at the ministry of economy said it was considering requests by traders to hike the price of water, poultry, eggs and some types of cooking oil, adding that the prices of other products which have been fixed by the Ministry would not be touched.

"We are studying their request but we will not approve it unless we are convinced of the reasons for the price increase and the compatibility of the rise with the data provided by suppliers," said Hashim Al Nuaimi, consumer protection director.

He said dealers have requested a 10-20 per cent hike in the prices of those products but those fixed by the ministry under an agreement with the traders over the past year would remain unchanged.

Mr Nuaimi, who spoke to reporters after a committee meeting on Saturday, said the ministry had completed a new system to received public complaints on price rises through Blackberry and iPhone mobile phones.

He said consumers who want to report an overpriced item can now send a picture of that item and the name of the shop through that system.

The system will complement a hotline (800522225) introduced by the Ministry last year to receive public reports on random price hikes.