UAE law: New penalties to come into force for violating consumers’ rights

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New penalties to come into force for violating consumers’ rights

The Ministry of Economy in the UAE has been updating a federal law on consumer protection which will include new specific penalties for retailers and other establishments violating consumers’ rights.

According to Abdullah Sultan Al Fan Al Shamsi, Assistant Undersecretary for the Monitoring and Following Up Sector at the Ministry of Economy, the updated law is expected to be rolled out in the first half of 2023, giving more clarity on violations of consumers’ rights.

“When it comes to violations, if there is a defect in the item purchased, what is the penalty a customer can claim or raise the issue with the authorities if there is no response from the vendor? The update for consumers’ rights will cover these kinds of details,” Al Shamsi explained.

In 2022, the ministry found 4,227 violations during an inspection. While in 2023, the first few months gathered a record of 1,030 consumer rights violations.

Al Shamsi added that the ministry conducted these inspections to ensure that price tags are displayed, and quality products are offered to prevent fraud and trademark infringements. RZSP/Expat Media

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