AMMAN –– His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday paid a previously unannounced visit to Al Salam Markets in the capital as part of his efforts to follow up on measures taken to protect citizens from the hikes in prices of commodities.

During his visit to the market, which is affiliated with the Military Consumer Corporation (MCC), King Abdullah called for taking the necessary measures to provide citizens with good quality goods and foodstuff at suitable prices.

His Majesty toured the department store and met with a number of people buying groceries there, a Royal Court statement said.

He was also briefed by the market director, Colonel Mohammad Shakhatreh, on the measures taken by the MCC to provide citizens with best-priced products, noting that the corporation achieves a “low profit margin” that only covers workers’ salaries.

King Abdullah has been paying surprise visits to several institutions in order to see first-hand if people are well served and what problems they face.

Al Salam Markets’ monthly sales are estimated at JD2.5 million, according to Shakhatreh, who noted that around 1,000 shoppers come to the market each day, rising to 2,000 at the end of each month.

He added that products sold at the MCC markets undergo strict supervision at the military lab to ensure their quality.

Also yesterday, King Abdullah underlined the “important role the Consumer Protection Society (CPS) plays under the current economic situation”.

During a meeting with the society president, Mohammad Obeidat, the King called for protecting citizens from monopoly and the manipulation of prices, in addition to ensuring the safety and quality of commodities, a Royal Court statement said.

The Monarch also called for further improving cooperation between the government and the CPS to guarantee the rights of consumers through drafting and enacting a consumer protection law as soon as possible.

Obeidat highlighted the society’s activities and future plans.

Established in 1989 as a voluntary society, the CPS seeks to identify problems facing consumers through scientific field visits and to combat monopoly, fraud and hikes in prices of services and goods.