Shoppers in Bahrain could soon see stronger safeguards and tougher action against violators as Parliament moves to fast‑track amendments to the Consumer Protection Law.
The government-drafted changes were forwarded by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, following Cabinet approval and review by legal authorities.
According to the explanatory memorandum, the amendments are designed to ‘keep pace with economic developments, strengthen enforcement tools, and protect consumers from unsustainable commercial practices’, while tightening oversight on suppliers across all sectors.
A key feature of the draft law is the expansion of powers granted to the responsible administrative authority – defined as any ministry, authority, agency or government department responsible for consumer protection within its sector.
Authorities will be able to impose direct administrative penalties for violations of the law and its implementing decisions, without waiting for lengthy court procedures.
These include:
l Ordering violations to be removed immediately
l Publishing violations on the commercial register
l Suspending or striking off commercial registrations in serious cases
l Confiscating tools and materials used in the violation
l Publishing court rulings in the media at the violator’s expense
l Heavy daily fines for repeat offenders
The draft introduces daily administrative fines to force compliance. Violators could face fines of up to BD1,000 per day for a first offence and the same daily amount for any repeat violation within three years, with a total cap of BD20,000.
The value of fines will take into account the severity of the violation, the benefits gained by the violator and the damage caused to consumers.
The responsible minister will issue a decision specifying which violations attract fines and the amounts payable.
For the first time, the law will strictly regulate promotions. Suppliers will be required to obtain prior licences under controls set by ministerial decision before announcing promotional campaigns, seasonal discounts, clearance sales and liquidation of stock. This is aimed at curbing misleading offers and price manipulation that harm consumers.
Suppliers will also be required to honour delivery agreements concluded with consumers, issue proper invoices, guarantees and documentation, obtain consumers’ prior approval for services and charges in accordance with ministerial regulations.
Authorities will have the right to review supplier documents, guarantees and data to ensure compliance with legal and technical standards.
The amendments also introduce a strict timeline for grievances:
l Violators will be electronically notified and given seven days to correct the issue
l Grievances against penalties must be filed within 15 days
l Decisions on grievances must be issued within seven days
l Court appeals can only be filed after the grievance process is exhausted, within seven days
In urgent cases, penalties may be imposed immediately without notice.
MPs are expected to vote to refer the draft law to the financial and economic affairs committee for detailed scrutiny before it returns to the chamber for debate.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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