Community-focused retail chains will serve up vital support to shoppers during Ramadan by slashing the cost of tens of thousands of food items by up to 90 per cent. The Union Co-operative and Sharjah Co-op will cut prices on close to 50,000 household essentials at dozens of branches in Dubai and Sharjah. The Sharjah initiative will begin on Friday and will extend throughout the holy month, which is expected to start on April 2. Discounts will range from 25 to 90 per cent under the Ramadanak Wayana campaign. Majid Salem Al Junaid, chief executive of Sharjah Co-op, said the programme aims to “ease the burdens on citizens and residents alike”. “The Co-op allocated Dh30m to support more than 20,000 consumer goods across 47 branches during the holy month with discounts up to 90 per cent on some products.” Four types of <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/heritage/2022/03/09/ramadan-2022-in-uae-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-holy-month/" target="_blank">Ramadan</a> baskets containing goods such as rice, sugar, flour, oils and juices are available at prices between Dh49 to and Dh399 in all Sharjah Co-op branches and online. A Palestinian resident said the new programme is timely as families are preparing to stock up on goods for Ramadan gatherings. “We invite many friends and family over for iftar and cook more and different meals every day,” said Shireen Ahmad, 36, who lives in Al Tawun in Sharjah. “Our monthly budget will double during Ramadan and since I lost my job, my husband’s salary has been barely enough so the discounts come in really good time.” Tala Yousef, who lives in Sharjah, said her family always try find cheaper alternatives to cover all their needs with a monthly budget of about Dh5,700 for food. “The offers by the co-operatives will help us enjoy the holy month because we wouldn’t need to give up on some Ramadan favourite food items,” she said. In Dubai, about 30,000 products will be reduced in price by up to 75 per cent. “The co-operative allocated Dh185m for the Ramadan campaign to reduce the prices of 30,000 food and consumer goods,” said Khalid Humaid Al Falasi, chief executive of the Union Co-op. “The prices that are reduced up to 75 per cent will be available across all branches and centres belonging to the Co-op throughout Dubai.” Both co-operative societies say they have adequate stocks to ensure consumers' needs are met throughout the holy month.