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DUBAI: The number of consumer complaints registered in Dubai has increased by 51%, mainly due to problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), with refunds being the main complaint from residents, officials said on Sunday.
Dubai’s Economy Trade Compliance and Consumer Protection (CCCP) department received 59,130 consumer complaints last year, a 51% increase from 39,113 received in 2019, according to a WAM report , the state news agency of the United Arab Emirates.
Mohammed Ali Rashed Lootah, CEO of CCCP, said: “The growth in the number of consumer complaints is also due to COVID-19 and limited consumer-to-merchant communication during the national sterilization program. We have been keen to activate the channels communication with consumers, and encourage them to report any violations or challenges they have faced in protecting their rights or having a pleasant shopping experience in Dubai during the pandemic crisis. ”
Refund issues accounted for just over a quarter of complaints (25.88%), followed by non-compliance with the terms of the agreement (18.57%), damage or defective products (13.13%) , commercial fraud (9.93%), non-compliance with after-sales service (6.62%) and additional charges for the service or product (6.39%).
Other issues that warranted an official complaint included price increases, store policy inconsistent with the law, breach of warranty conditions, refusal to repair a device, breach of product conditions. promotional offers, tariff differences, value added tax fraudulent purchase of gold and diamonds.
“We always strive to find an amicable solution to consumer complaints and to strengthen relations between traders and consumers through awareness programs that clarify the rights and duties of both parties and improve the transparency of transactions,” added Lootah.
The majority of complaints (31.58%) concerned the service sector, followed by electronics (14%), electronic commerce (13.71%), furniture (8.16%), ready-made wear and accessories (7.95%), freight (5.4%), car rental (5%), automobiles (4.91%), textiles and personal items (3.7%), decoration and maintenance of buildings (2.56%), car workshops (2.08%) and hairdressing salons (0.93%).
The WAM report said the Emiratis accounted for 28% of complaints received, followed by Indians (12%), Egyptians (11%), Saudis (6%) and Jordanians (5%).
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