The Supreme Committee for Consumer Protection in the UAE is drawing up plans to develop the emirates’ consumer protection system and enhance market supervision.

The committee’s latest meeting, chaired by Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, discussed its plans to support the consumer protection system and to strengthen sales outlet monitoring mechanisms across all emirates of the country.

Bin Touq emphasised that enabling sound consumer practices and protecting consumer rights is a top priority for the Ministry of Economy, in order to develop the regulatory and legislative environment for the economic sector and enhance its governance.

This is one of the strategic objectives of the ministry in line with objectives of the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision, he added.

“Thanks to the directives of the wise leadership, the consumer protection system in the country is undergoing continuous development following the issuance of several resolutions in the last phase.

“These decisions are aimed at supporting the continued growth of this ecosystem, upgrading its mechanisms in accordance with global best practices and solidifying the UAE’s position as a leading global market that provides a safe experience for consumers. They also guarantee rights to suppliers, thus enhancing the UAE’s position as an attractive destination for business and investment in the retail sector,” Bin Touq said.

A task force consisting of representatives from the ministry, and other relevant authorities and entities has also been formed to monitor the prices of essential consumer goods. Bin Touq pointed out that the Ministry of Economy will continue its efforts to supervise all sales outlets across the country to ensure that there are no unjustified price hikes violating the Consumer Protection Law.

The committee also discussed its plan to raise financial awareness among consumers through experts and global specialists. This includes encouraging consumers to choose from among the many options available in the country's markets based on their needs and budgets and avoid overbuying, and highlighting the importance of saving invoices for future purposes.