Economy ministry steps up inspections during Ramadan

The Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) has launched a surprise inspection campaign targeting a number of retail outlets at a major shopping mall in Doha in order to monitor the compliance of shops with laws and regulations governing commercial activities. The inspection campaigns come within the framework of the MEC’s Ramadan initiatives under the theme #Aqal_Min_Al_Wajeb.” The MEC traditionally intensifies its inspection campaigns before and throughout the holy month of Ramadan as part of its efforts to monitor markets and commercial activities.The campaigns are also aimed at ensuring compliance with laws and regulations governing commercial activities in order to crack down on violations and protect consumer rights.The campaign resulted in penalising and fining a children’s amusement park and a restaurant at a shopping mall for violating the commercial licenses law.The campaign also resulted in seven penalties and fines for a number of shops at the mall for violations including expired commercial licenses, failing to meet the general and special conditions for commercial shops, failing to prominently display or post the commercial license at the shop and for conducting commercial activities unauthorised in the license.The violating shops were also compelled to modify their status in commercial licenses and records.The MEC urged merchants and shop owners to abide by regulations and laws governing commercial activities.The MEC also invited merchants and shop owners to learn about laws and regulations governing commercial activities by visiting its website on www.mec.gov.qa to avoid legal accountability and fines.The MEC has urged all customers to report any violations to its Consumer Protection and Anti-Commercial Fraud Department through the following channels: Call centre: 16001, e-mail: info@mec.gov.qa, Twitter: @MEC_Qatar, Instagram: MEC_Qatar, MEC mobile app for Android and IOS: MEC_Qatar