The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) carried out intensive inspection campaigns in July to ensure the compliance of suppliers (retail outlets) with laws and ministerial decisions related to consumer protection.

The inspection campaigns resulted in the detection of 154 violations, the MoCI said in a statement on Sunday.

Violations included failing to display all descriptive data relating to the product, failing to issue invoices in Arabic, offering promotions without obtaining the necessary licence, failing to comply with the mandatory price bulletin of vegetables and fruits, displaying expired products and failing to input the stock of strategic goods in the strategic inventory management and control system, among other violations, the statement noted.

The penalties included administrative closures and fines ranging between QR5,000 and QR30,000, in line with the laws and decisions governing the work of the Consumer Protection Department.

The campaigns come within the framework of the ministry’s efforts to monitor markets and commercial activities in Qatar in a bid to control prices and uncover violations in order to protect consumers’ rights.

The competent authorities at the MoCI received a number of complaints in July and took the necessary measures to address them.

The ministry stressed that it would not tolerate any violations of the Consumer Protection Law and its regulations, and would intensify its inspection campaigns to crack down on violations.

Further, the MoCI has said it will refer those who violate laws and ministerial decisions governing the work of the department to the competent authorities who will, in turn, take appropriate action against the perpetrators in order to protect consumer rights.

The MoCI has urged all consumers to report violations, infringements and process complaints and suggestions through the call centre: 16001, email: [email protected], Twitter: @MOCIQATAR, Instagram: MOCIQATAR, and the ministry's application on iPhone and Android devices: MOCIQATAR

Types of violations

The following is a breakdown of the type and number of violations registered in July:

* Offering promotions without obtaining the necessary licence from the department concerned: 37

* Failing to note all descriptive data relating to the product: 27

* Failing to issue invoices in Arabic: 19

* Expired products: 17

* Failing to comply with public health and safety requirements: 9

* Failing to comply with the mandatory price bulletin of vegetables and fruits: 8

* Failing to display prices: 7

* Failing to input the stock of strategic goods into the strategic inventory management and control system; and false or misleading product display, description and advertising: 5    each

* Charging customers higher than the advertised price: 4

* Failing to clearly define the service’s data, features, characteristics and prices; and offering discounts without obtaining the necessary licence from the department concerned: 3 each

* Failing to use Arabic in descriptive data relating to the product: 2

* Failing to comply with the mandatory price bulletin of fish and seafood; failing to offer service warranty for an appropriate period, refunding customers or re-offering the service in an appropriate manner; failing to comply with safety-related conditions and the terms of the document or contract signed with the consumer; failing to exchange the product or refund customers; failing to separate discounted products from other goods; non-cooperation with judicial officers; failing to adhere to religious values, customs and traditions; and the use of subsidised flour (extracted at 77%) in the production of bread other than 'Baladi' and Arabic bread: 1 each



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