Business Bureau, Gulf Today

The Commercial Compliance & Consumer Protection (CCCP) sector in Dubai Economy received 81 commercial complaints during April-June 2020, which was 35% less compared to the same period in 2019. The CCCP also received 147 enquiries, bringing the total transactions it handled during the same period to 228.

All commercial complaints and business enquiries received by CCCP in the second quarter of 2020 came through its smart channels. The consumerrights.ae website received 88% of the complaints, while the Dubai Consumer app accounted for 12% of the complaints and 100% of business enquiries. A majority of the complaints – 30.9% of the total – were related to the services sector while the decoration and construction sector as well as the building materials sector accounted for 16% each. The other complaints were related to foodstuffs (7.4%)), electronics (6.2%), equipment rental (6.2%), freight (3.7%), cars (1.2%) and furniture (1.2%).

Failure to adhere to the terms of agreement and contracts was the leading cause for commercial complaints (71.6%) followed by commercial fraud (13.6%) and non-compliance with specifications and standards (4.9%). Additional fees on a service or product  and non-compliance with the price list each accounted for 3.7% of the complaints while non-compliance with commercial activity and non-compliance with guarantee terms had a share of 1.2% each.

Mohammed Ali Rashed Lootah, CEO of CCCP, said: “At Dubai Economy, we continue our efforts to enhance the safe economic environment in the emirate. The decrease in commercial complaints reflects the efforts made by the CCCP and the commitment among merchants and companies tin Dubai to applying best practices and sound standards. It also shows the trust and confidence they have in the competent authorities and their willingness to cooperate with them.”

“The importance of maintaining a safe commercial and economic environment in Dubai is highlighted by the growing presence of leading international brands across various sectors in the emirate. Earlier this year, CCCP launched the Commercial Compliance Manual, which contributes to enhancing the awareness on sound practices among merchants and customers alike. The manual also highlights the important aspects merchants must focus to avoid obstacles and develop the economic environment. We will constantly strive to sustain a fair and transparent system to protect the rights of all parties,’ said Lootah.

Merchants can file their complaints relating to services provided by commercial establishments in Dubai, along with the necessary documents and evidence, through the consumerrights.ae website or through the Dubai Consumer app available on Apple, Google, and Huawei stores.

If the complainant is from outside the UAE, the documents must be certified by the competent authorities in their respective countries. Dubai Economy also calls on the business community to go through the Commercial Compliance Manual, available on consumerrights.ae in Arabic and English, for important information merchants need to protect their business.

The Commercial Compliance & Consumer Protection Sector in Dubai Economy has launched recently a new e-services package for traders and customers as part of the efforts to continuously enhance service quality, convenience as well as accessibility, and promote a safe economic environment that enables sustainable growth. The new service will enable traders to submit an objection request to violations issued on commercial licences, enquire about fines and settle them, and obtain the list of inspection reports relating to their business, all online.

Customers can access the new services from anywhere through the consumer rights website without having to visit visit service centres. CCCP developed the services in line with the directives of the Government of Dubai to continuously develop and enhance e-services and smart platforms in the emirate, thus supporting the Dubai Paperless Strategy, which aims to build a paper-free future by 2021.

Abdullah Al Kaabi, Director of Development and Follow-up in CCCP, emphasised the role of the Sector, and Dubai Economy in general, in supporting traders and consumers, and its keenness to provide the best services, thereby reflecting the objectives and aspirations of Dubai’s government. CCCP recently announced expanding its consumer rights services to free zones in the emirate of Dubai, enabling a wider segment of consumers to raise their queries and complaints to Dubai Economy and have the complaints resolved amicably. CCCP has supported the business community and the public significantly to comply with the precautionary measures implemented following COVID-19.