The UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism has added Amazon.ae to its Essential Goods Prices Platform, making it the first e-commerce retailer on the government's price-comparison tool. Undersecretary Abdulla Ahmed Al Saleh and Ronaldo Mouchawar, Vice President of Amazon Middle East, Africa and Turkey, signed a memorandum of understanding at the ministry's Dubai headquarters on 11 November, in the presence of Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri.

The platform, launched in April, tracks 33 frequently bought items, made up of 17 essential consumer goods and 16 other key commodities, chosen from the ministry's consumer priority products list. It shows the lowest and highest listed price for each item at 12 major physical retail outlets and their branches. Shoppers can build their own grocery basket, and the platform points them to the cheapest option based on the listed prices.

Amazon.ae's price records are already live, bringing online shopping into the comparison for the first time. Amazon will update its data regularly under approved technical standards and data-security requirements. The announcement did not say whether delivery fees, online promotions or membership discounts count in basket comparisons.

Al Marri said the ministry plans to expand its partnerships with other local and international e-commerce companies. Mouchawar said Amazon was "proud that Amazon.ae is now integrated onto the Essential Goods Prices Platform" as its first e-commerce retailer.

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