The Saudi Consumer Protection Association issued the “Consumer Rights Comprehensive Guide”, which was recently updated to include 13 government agencies, including ministries, committees and institutions.
The guide covers around 1,000 rights to raise awareness among consumers on their rights and duties, in a way that preserves that of all parties.
The Association highlighted the consumer rights that have been approved by regulations through the guide, in recognition of the importance of increasing awareness among consumers of their guaranteed rights.
The Association's Director of Communication and Public Relations, Mohamad al-Ahmari, stated that the guide has collected nearly 1,000 rights.
The interest in developing the guide stemmed from the role of the association in achieving and increasing awareness.
Statistics showed that the Ministry of Commerce and Investment reported over 1.4 million consumer complaints last year, including 266,000 concerning online trading, 190,000 on online payment systems, and 55,000 on guarantees issues.
A member of the Board of Directors of Riyadh Chamber and Chairman of the E-Commerce Committee, Abdullah al-Ajlan, explained that the Ministry is making tremendous efforts in handling consumer reports, specifically with regard to e-commerce.
The ministry established the “Maarouf” platform as a useful service for sellers or buyers, which helps increase business confidence.
Ajlan indicated that users of e-commerce sites must first ensure that the facility is registered with the platform to guarantee their rights in the event of any issues that may arise during the purchase or in the after-sales period.
He stressed that consumers have become aware of their rights and duties and can now deal with such sites hoping to avoid any future problems.
The Saudi Central Bank facilitates online purchases through secured sites and applications and employed developed systems that follow best financial measures according to the security standards, according to Ajlan.
Ajlan also noted that the Chamber handled 266,000 reports during 2020, which confirms the increased confidence of clients and the safety of dealing business in the Kingdom.
In 1985, the United Nations General Assembly approved the eight consumer rights and assigned March 15 of each year as the World Consumers Rights Day.
Basic consumer rights ensure a level of protection for consumers owed by a supplier of goods or services. The eight rights include the right to safety, the right to be informed, the right to choose, the right to be heard, the right to satisfaction of basic needs, the right to redress, the right to consumer education and the right to a healthy environment.
