The Ministry of Commerce and Industry carried out extensive inspection campaigns in January 2021 to monitor the compliance of suppliers (retail outlets) with their obligations under laws and ministerial resolutions on consumer protection. The inspection campaigns fall within the framework of the Ministry’s efforts to monitor markets and commercial activities in Qatar in a bid to control prices and uncover violations to protect consumer rights.
The inspection campaigns resulted in uncovering 115 different violations including offering discounts and promotions without obtaining the necessary license from the competent department; displaying expired products; describing the commodity, advertising it, or displaying it in a manner that contains false or deceptive information; and failing to offer a service warranty for an appropriate period, refunding customers or reoffering the service in an appropriate manner.
Penalties imposed on retail outlets included administrative closures and fines ranging from between QR5,000 and QR30,000, as per the laws and decisions regulating the work of the Consumer Protection Department.
The following is a list of violations uncovered in January 2021:
| V | Violation Type | Number |
| 1 | Failing to display prices | 2 |
| 2 | Failing to offer an Arabic version of the information on displayed commodities | 2 |
| 3 | Failing to comply with the mandatory price bulletin of vegetables and fruits | 5 |
| 4 | Failing to comply with the mandatory price bulletin of fish and seafood | 1 |
| 5 | Failing to offer a service warranty for an appropriate period, refunding customers, or reoffering the service in an appropriate manner. | 9 |
| 6 | Failing to apply all the commodity guarantees | 4 |
| 7 | Failing to return the commodity, providing a refund or exchanging the commodity | 1 |
| 8 | Failing to write all the explanatory information about the commodity | 6 |
| 9 | Failing to issue complete invoices | 6 |
| 10 | Failing to issue invoices in Arabic | 8 |
| 11 | Failing to provide spare parts for durable goods within a specified period of time, and failing to provide the announced warrantees | 1 |
| 12 | Failing to clearly define the service information, features, characteristics, and pricing | 3 |
| 13 | Making a promotional offer without obtaining the necessary license from the competent department | 13 |
| 14 | Offering a discount without obtaining the necessary license from the competent department | 24 |
| 15 | Expired products | 16 |
| 16 | Describing the commodity, advertising it, or displaying it in a manner that contains false or deceptive information | 14 |
| Total | 115 | |
The authorities concerned with consumer protection at the Ministry received a number of complaints last January. They were dealt with, and necessary measures to resolve them were taken.
The Ministry stressed that it will not tolerate any violations of the Consumer Protection Law and its regulations and will intensify its inspection campaigns to crack down on illegal practices. The Ministry said it will refer those who violate laws and Ministerial decisions governing the work of the department to the competent authorities that will in turn take appropriate action against the perpetrators in order to protect consumer rights.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry urges all consumers to report any violations or infringements, and to send complaints and suggestions through the following channels:
– Call Center: 16001
– The Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s social media accounts:
– Twitter @MOCIQATAR
– Instagram MOCIQATAR
