Muscat – The intensified efforts aim to ensure the protection of consumer rights and compliance with the Consumer Protection Law.

Muscat Governorate led in the number of inspections with 102,257 visits, followed by South Al Sharqiyah with 47,112 visits and North Al Batinah with 46,059 visits. These figures reflect the Authority’s proactive strategy to monitor markets and prevent violations that could harm consumers.

As a result of these efforts, the CPA successfully recovered more than RO 3 million for consumers through refunds. Financial penalties issued in 2024 totalled RO 585,296.

Significantly, the number of recorded violations dropped by 40 percent in 2024, with 5,479 violations compared to 9,132 in 2023. The greatest reduction in violations was seen in North Al Batinah (1,796 cases), followed by Muscat (999) and Dhofar (Salalah) with 420.

This decline is largely attributed to stronger supplier compliance with price-setting regulations, responsible pricing approval practices, and a notable 40 percent drop in the sale of expired goods. Violations also included the sale of banned tobacco products, discrepancies in pricing, misleading advertisements, and failure to issue Arabic invoices or follow specification standards.

On the legal front, the number of consumer court cases decided in favour of consumers rose by 5 percent, with 1,301 favourable rulings in 2024 compared to 1,239 the previous year. In total, 2,401 cases were before the courts in 2024, a significant increase from 1,096 in 2023.

The Consumer Protection Authority reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining market integrity and warned that it would continue to take firm action against any practices that violate consumer rights. Businesses were urged to adhere to the law and contribute to a fair and transparent commercial environment.