The Ministry of Commerce and Investment has carried out an inspection campaign targeting shopping centers and markets in various regions of the Kingdom to verify the reality of promotional offers, sales and competitions held during the Holy Month of Ramadan. This is to protect and preserve the consumers’ rights. The inspection tours resulted in the inspection of 5953 commercial establishments, 91 establishments detected in violation, where they carried out misleading and false promotions. Therefore, the owners were summoned by the Ministry for taking the legal procedures against them.
The violations detected by MCI inspectors included the condition of purchasing to enter the competitions, also making sales and promotions without obtaining a license, as well as not placing the price tag to show the price before and after the promotion, in addition to the difference between the price on the shelf and the one with the cashier, besides the expiry date of some items.
This inspection campaign comes within the seasonal work plan of the Ministry during the Holy Month of Ramadan to check and control the markets and outlets in different regions of the Kingdom, as well as to ensure the availability of goods and foodstuffs usually requested in Ramadan and their alternatives, and to verify the validity of such items as well, also to monitor any cases of commercial fraud and manipulation of prices, and to take the necessary actions towards any effects on the supply demand, in addition to verify the reality of promotional offers, competitions and sales.
MCI confirms the continuation of the inspection campaign to monitor the promotions and sales offered by markets and shopping centers, also to ensure the absence of any deception or cheating towards the consumers, and to take all legal procedures against the offenders.
MCI calls on all consumers to lodge their complaints and observations through MCI Consumer Call Center (1900) or through the application of a Commercial Violation Report, or via the Ministry’s website.