During their routine inspection tours at Aziziyah Fruit & Vegetable Market in Riyadh, MC inspectors seized 6 trucks loaded with more than 100 tons of onion, hidden by the owners of three establishments on purpose of monopolization. They tried to exploit Corona crisis by concealing the onion and creating a feeling of shortage of this item to sell it in high prices.
The violators were summoned by the Ministry for further investigation and for taking the necessary legal measures. Meanwhile, all the seized quantities were redistributed into the markets to be sold with normal prices. This is in cooperation with the Field Control Force in Riyadh police.
The Ministry of Commerce would like to confirm the continuation of controlling the violations related to Corona crisis exploitation, whether by raising the prices, or through monopolization and creating a feeling of shortage of any food item. This is based on the Ministry’s role in protecting the consumers, preserving their rights and ensuring the continuity of food supplies and the flow of goods to the markets, as well as controlling the price stability.
Notably, unjustified raising of prices and monopolization, or exploiting the current global events is considered a violation of the Ministry’s regulations as well as the Public Authority for Competition, where each violator will be subject to a penalty equivalent to 10% of the annual sales of the item subject of the violation, or a fine of 10 million Riyal, in addition to defaming the violators in a local newspaper, closing the facility and writing off the commercial registration.
The Ministry of Commerce urges all consumers to lodge their complaints and reports about any exaggerated prices, or monopolistic practices through MC Consumer Call Center (1900), or through the application of a Commercial Violation Report, or via the Ministry’s website.