Ministry of Commerce and Industry cracks down on (163) violations during March 2022

April 14, 2022

In March, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry carried out extensive inspection campaigns to monitor the extent to which suppliers (retail outlets) comply with their obligations stipulated in the laws and Ministerial decisions on consumer protection. This falls in line with the Ministry’s efforts to monitor markets and commercial activities across Qatar, in a bid to control prices and uncover violations so as to protect consumer rights.

 

The inspection campaigns identified (163) violations, including describing, advertising, or displaying a commodity in a manner that contains false information; not adhering to the prices in the compulsory price bulletin of vegetables and fruits; making promotional offers and discounts without obtaining the necessary license from the competent department; not announcing prices; and displaying expired products.

 

Violations also included failure to issue invoices in Arabic, as well as failure to guarantee that the performed service is commensurate with the nature of that service, including failure to refund the recipient of the service, or to perform the service again in an appropriate manner.

 

 

Penalties imposed on retail outlets included administrative closures and fines ranging between QAR 5,000 and QAR 30,000, as per the laws and decisions regulating the work of the Consumer Protection Department.

 

The following are the types and numbers of violations for March 2022:

 

No. Violation Type Number
1  Failure to display prices 14
2 Failure to display prices in Arabic 3
3 Failure to issue invoices 2
4 Failure to issue invoices in Arabic 9
5 Failure to offer an Arabic version of the information on displayed commodities 8
6 Failure to clearly define the service information, features, characteristics, and pricing 1
7 Failure to place the issued promotional offer license in a visible and prominent place on the storefront 2
8 Failure to place labels on the goods included in the discounts, indicating the original and reduced prices 1
9 Failure to comply with the mandatory price bulletin of vegetables and fruits 19
10 Failure to write all explanatory information about the displayed commodity 7
11 Failure to guarantee that the performed service is commensurate with the nature of that service, including failure to refund the recipient of the service, or to perform the service again in an appropriate manner 7
12 Non-compliance with the form and format of the promotion advertisement approved by the competent department 6
13 Non-compliance with the form and format of the discount advertisement approved by the competent department 1
14 Failure to observe the safety stock in accordance with the types, quantities, and percentages determined by the department 6
15 Failure to comply with the recall procedure in the presence of a judicial officer 1
16 Making a promotional offer without obtaining the necessary license from the competent department 15
17 Offering a discount without obtaining the necessary license from the competent department 14
18 Imposing the purchase of a commodity in certain quantities, or the purchase of another commodity alongside it 1
19 Describing the commodity, advertising it, or displaying it in a manner that contains false information 25
20 Charging a higher price than that announced 3
21 Launching a promotional campaign before the date specified in the license 1
22 Selling food supplies without obtaining the required license from the competent department 1
23 Expired products 14
24 Inconformity of products to the defined standard specifications 1
25 Increasing prices without obtaining the necessary approval from the competent authority 1
Total 163

The authorities concerned with consumer protection at the Ministry received a number of complaints during March. They were dealt with, and necessary measures to resolve them were taken.

The Ministry stressed that it would not tolerate any negligence when it comes to meeting obligations stipulated in Law No. (8) of 2008 on Consumer Protection and its executive bylaws.

The Ministry is working to intensify its inspection campaigns to control violating practices, and to refer violators of laws and Ministerial decisions to the competent authorities to take due measures.

The Ministry also urges all citizens and residents to report any violations or infractions through the following channels:

– Call Centre: 16001

– The Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s social media accounts:

– Twitter @MOCIQATAR

– Instagram MOCIQATAR