Amid the hysterical rise in the dollar exchange rate, which analysts have been unable to explain, the purchasing power of citizens continues to decline to the point where they struggle to secure basic materials, especially food. All of this is happening while the state watches, leaving its people in uncertainty.
As Lebanese citizens are concerned about their ability to obtain essential goods, some traders are resorting to cheating, particularly in food items that threaten citizens' lives. While the Ministry of Economy may not be able to control prices amid the constant and unstable increase of the dollar exchange rate, it is taking actions to monitor violations as per its capabilities, since food safety and citizen health are a priority, as stated by the Director-General of the Ministry of Economy, Muhammad Abu Haidar, in an interview with "Al-Diyar".
He mentioned that "with the chaos we are witnessing in the dollar exchange rate, some cheese and dairy manufacturers are resorting to cheating by using starch and prohibited vegetable oils in dairy products," pointing out that the starch increases in labneh, which retains water more, thus increasing the weight of a labneh container by almost half, which is considered cheating.
Abu Haidar revealed the use of prohibited vegetable oils that cause diseases, announcing that the Ministry of Economy will withdraw these products from the market. He also noted that there is "cheating occurring in many goods, such as cleaning and washing products, which contain high salinity levels that increase foaming and damage washing machines, posing risks to consumers."
He indicated that "some butcher shops sell Indian meat as fresh local meat at a lower price, and reports have been filed on this matter."
Abu Haidar confirmed that "the Ministry of Economy refers violators to the judiciary, emphasizing that food safety is critically important as it affects citizen health and is more important than the issue of prices, noting that the instability in the dollar exchange rate complicates price monitoring." He asserted that the Ministry of Economy is performing its role under difficult circumstances and amid a strike by a large portion of employees.
