Kuwait introduces price control campaign, strengthens penalties ahead of Eid al-Adha

• Kuwait’s markets saw heightened regulatory efforts to protect consumers from rising prices and exploitation in anticipation of Eid al-Adha.

• Supervisory teams verified the origin of goods and checked the stores’ compliance with announced prices and purchase invoices in Arabic and English.

As Eid al-Adha drew near, Kuwaiti markets experienced increased regulatory activity to safeguard consumers from price hikes and exploitation.

Informed sources told Al-Anbaa newspaper that the Commercial Control and Consumer Protection Sector of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry deployed teams of commercial inspectors across its departments, including commercial control and emergency teams in the markets.

The sources explained that there is close coordination between the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s Commercial Control and Consumer Protection Sector and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor’s Cooperation Sector. This coordination led to the establishment of a specialized professional workshop aimed at exchanging experiences between inspectors from the two departments. The workshop focuses on comparing vegetable and fruit prices in cooperative societies and the fruit market.

This workshop lays the groundwork for fruitful cooperation aimed at enhancing transparency and protecting consumer rights.

As part of ongoing efforts, the Jahra and Farwaniya Emergency Team, affiliated with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, cooperated with inspectors from the Ministry of Social Affairs to carry out a surprise monitoring campaign on four cooperative societies. The campaign resulted in recording one violation for a society and issuing four notices to another society. Legal procedures are currently being finalized.

On the other hand, the Jahra and Farwaniya emergency teams continue their daily inspection tours, leading to the registration of three seizure reports for shops and commercial stalls that violated the laws and decisions of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. These efforts ensure consumer protection and enhance market transparency.

In a related context, supervisory teams conducted a comprehensive inspection tour of commercial markets to monitor prices as Eid Al-Adha approaches and consumer demand for goods increases. The tour included stores specializing in women’s shoes, bags, and fabrics, where they verified the origin of goods and checked the stores’ compliance with announced prices and purchase invoices in Arabic and English.