Doha, Qatar: Commercial violations that directly threaten consumers’ health and safety are treated as high-risk cases in Qatar, with authorities taking immediate action that can be completed within hours, a senior Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) official has said.
Mohammed Ali Al-Ozba, Assistant Director of the Consumer Protection and Commercial Fraud Department at MoCI, said violations are classified into three categories: high, medium and low risk, with cases affecting consumer health and safety receiving the highest priority.
Speaking in an interview with Qatar TV, Al-Ozba described consumer health and safety as a “red line,” noting that Qatar’s legislation gives the authorities strong powers to act in such cases.
“High-risk violations are those that affect the health and safety of consumers. We take action immediately, with no leniency,” Al-Ozba said, adding that the entire procedure in such cases can be completed “within a few hours.”
Medium-risk violations may require further procedures and examination before action is taken, while lower-risk cases can generally be dealt with within one to three days, he explained.
Al-Ozba also highlighted after-sales services as an important area of consumer protection, identifying failure to honour warranties, delays in providing spare parts and delays in maintenance among the most common violations.
He said suppliers are required to comply with the warranty provided to consumers when a product is purchased.
Under Qatar’s consumer protection regulations, suppliers are also required to provide after-sales services, including spare parts and maintenance for durable goods, for a period appropriate to the nature of the product and not less than three years.
The Ministry’s Consumer Rights Guide states that consumers are entitled to warranties covering hidden defects that reduce a product’s value or make it unsuitable for its intended purpose. For paid repairs, suppliers must inform consumers in writing of the estimated repair cost and time before work begins, while invoices issued after repairs must identify replaced parts and their cost and specify whether they are new or used.
The Ministry has stepped up market monitoring and consumer protection activity this year.
During the first quarter of 2026, MoCI carried out 74,766 inspection visits, an increase of 89 percent compared with the same period in 2025, according to figures announced by the Ministry in May.
The consumer affairs sector received 6,895 complaints during the quarter, including 5,640 consumer protection complaints.
The Ministry said consumer protection complaints were closed within eight days, while supply-related complaints were handled within one day.
The Ministry’s rapid-response mechanism was also put into operation during the regional emergency earlier this year.
etween February 28 and March 22, its Operations Center executed 49,756 emergency inspection orders, with 318 inspectors participating in market monitoring in coordination with the Ministry of Municipality.
During that period, 80 commercial establishments were found in violation and two were shut down. The Operations Center also received 408 complaints, all of which were addressed in less than 24 hours, according to MoCI.
The Ministry has said its Operations Center operates around the clock to monitor markets, receive complaints and reports and ensure a rapid response, with cases proceeding from verification of the complaint to detection and documentation of the violation and, where warranted, legal action against the offender.
MoCI has repeatedly stressed that inspection campaigns will continue across the country to ensure suppliers comply with the Consumer Protection Law and its executive regulations and to take legal measures against violations affecting consumer rights.
