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During an inspection campaign in Doha
Ministry of Economy and Commerce cracks down on monopoly practices at three fruit and vegetable shops
 
The Ministry of Economy and Commerce has carried out surprise inspection campaigns targeting fruit and vegetable shops in Doha in a bid to monitor the compliance of suppliers (fruit and vegetable shops) with law number (8) of 2008 on Consumer Protection.
 
The inspection campaigns come within the framework of the Ministry’s efforts to regulate and monitor markets and commercial activities as well as to uncover violations in a bid to protect consumer rights in terms of ensuring the commitment of suppliers to the provisions of the Consumer Protection Law and their obligation to display all available goods to ensure their availability on the market.
 
The inspection campaigns resulted in cracking down on three fruit and vegetable shops that concealed ginger products to manipulate their market price, which represents a violation of the provisions of Law number 8 of 2008 on consumer protection.
 
Article 10 of the Consumer Protection Law states that “the supplier shall not conceal any commodity and shall refrain from selling it for the purpose of controlling its market price. The supplier shall also refrain from imposing the purchase of certain quantities or a bundled commodity and from charging a higher price than the advertised price.”
 
Violations of law number 8 of 2008 on Consumer Protection result in penalties including administrative closures and fines ranging between QR 6,000 and QR 1 million.
The ministry stressed that it will not tolerate any violations of the Consumer Protection Law number 8 of 2008 and its regulations and will intensify its inspection campaigns to crackdown on violations. The ministry said it will refer those who violate laws and ministerial decrees to competent authorities, who will in turn take appropriate action against perpetrators in order to protect consumer rights.
 
The ministry urges all consumers to report violations or submit complaints and suggestions through the following channels:
 
– Call Centre: 16001
– Email: info@mec.gov.qa
– The accounts of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce on social networks
         – Twitter MEC_QATAR
         – Instagram MEC_QATAR
– The application of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce on iPhone and Android devices MEC_QATAR