Sales outlets are required to display the prices of commodities in front of consumers, not to charge them additional amounts when using “credit cards”.

August 13th

Cabinet Decision No. 66 of 2023 regarding the executive regulations of Federal Law No. 15 of 2020 regarding “consumer protection” obligated the supplier of the commodity and product (shopping center, grocery, online stores and platforms) in the United Arab Emirates to announce the prices of goods and services in a clear and legible manner. .

The decision clarified, first: the methods that should be adopted in order to announce the prices of the commodity and service, which consisted in writing the price on the commodity in a clear manner according to its nature, and secondly: placing the announcement of the price on a card in the place where the commodity is displayed, and third: placing the announcement of the price of the service in a clear manner. Clear and legible where the service is provided.

Following the decision, the supplier of the commodity is obligated to indicate clearly and explicitly whether it accepts discount cards from consumers and the value of the discount, so that it is clearly announced and the consumer can view it. The decision stipulated that no additional amounts should be added to the value of the commodity if credit cards were used to purchase goods and services.

How do you use the item?

In Article 4 related to data on how to use and install the commodity, the decision obligated the suppliers of the goods to attach with the special commodity how to use and install it, according to the nature of the commodity and the extent to which it includes parts that can be disassembled and installed.

As well as including the data referred to above, on the method of installation or use, clearly on the packaging or the outer cover of the commodity, in a way that allows it to be done by the consumer himself or when the need for the assistance of a technician to install the commodity.

Likewise, commodity suppliers must state the contents of the box in which the commodity is located, and clearly and explicitly specify the complementary commodities that must be purchased to benefit from the basic commodity.

Irregularities

Federal Law No. 15 of 2020 regarding Consumer Protection imposed a fine of 100,000 dirhams, the penalty for advertising the prices of goods and services performed by the supplier in a misleading manner, as well as 100,000 dirhams for not alerting the consumer if the use of the commodity is dangerous, and another fine. A quarter of a million dirhams in the event that the commodity or service is described in a manner that contains incorrect data or is misleadingly advertised, and a fine of 100,000 dirhams for the supplier’s failure to announce the prices of goods and services clearly and legibly. And a fine of 100,000 dirhams for charging a price higher than the price advertised by any means of advertising, and 100,000 dirhams for selling goods or services at prices less than the cost price to create a monopolistic position.