Dubai: Commercial complaints in Dubai saw a 17 per cent drop in 2021, driven by the implementation of a series of measures to enhance ease of doing business and enhance confidence among merchants in the emirate, it was announced on Monday.
The Commercial Compliance & Consumer Protection Sector in the Department of Economy and Tourism received 414 commercial complaints in 2021, compared to 500 in 2020.
The services sector accounted for a majority (31.6 per cent) of the commercial complaints received in 2021, followed by the building materials (18.8 per cent), foodstuffs (13.8 per cent), decoration and construction (12.6 per cent), accessories (5.8 per cent), electronics (5.8 per cent), shipping (5.6 per cent), furniture (1.5 per cent) and cars (1.5 per cent). The remaining came from sectors such as equipment rental, labour supply, car rental, document clearance and transportation.
Non-compliance with the agreement terms was the cause of 61.59 per cent of the complaints, while commercial fraud (19.32 per cent), after-sales service (6.28 per cent), unauthorised activity (5.8 per cent), non-compliance with specifications and standards (3.4 per cent), and failure to comply with warranty terms (2.4 per cent) were the other leading complaints. Additional fees on a service/product and shop policies inconsistent with the law were also found to have led to disputes.
Mohammed Ali Rashed Lootah, CEO of CCCP, remarked that initiatives launched by the department to increase compliance awareness among traders, and enable them to adopt best practices in transacting business with their counterparts as well as consumers, have helped promote confidence internationally in the Dubai brand as well as the competitiveness of the emirate as a hub and gateway.
“We receive, and resolve, commercial complaints as part of our business protection services. The initiative is part of our efforts to create a competitive business environment and make businesses increasingly aware of their rights and responsibilities. The ongoing digital transformation of services across the government as well as private sectors is contributing to our efforts,” said Lootah.
