• Home

Sharjah groceries not to sell 5-gallon bottles

SHARJAH — The Sharjah Municipality has banned groceries from selling five-gallon bottles of water.

The civic body has sent circulars to all groceries informing them to stop selling five-gallon bottles with effect from March 28.

A source from the health section of the municipality said the authorities had recieved a large number of complaints that groceries often sell fake products.

“Inspectors have found on several occasions that some of the groceries refill the bottles with tap water and sell them to people to save the money they have to spend on buying the water from various companies.”

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Abdullah Al Shuwaikh, spokesperson of the Sharjah Municipality, said the civic body had issued this decision after conducting detailed studies which showed the difficulties in monitoring and controlling the packaging processes in companies based in other emirates which deal in drinking water.

Residents can request popular companies to supply water at their doorstep to ensure that they are receiving safe and clean drinking water, he said.

“The municipality can also in that case monitor these companies to ensure that they are abiding by health regulations as they have special vehicles that are checked regularly,” he added. Al Ghazal and Al Shuulah groceries in Sharjah told Khaleej Times that they had received the circulars from the municipality and they don’t know what to do.

“Customers are depending on us to deliver water at their doorstep for free or for a dirham. This decision would affect our business,” said a grocery owner.

• UAE