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DED comes down hard on retailers promoting misleading discounts…just in time for the Dubai Summer Surprises

June 4, 2012 1:14 by Eva Fernandes

The Department of Economic Development is tired of playing nice. Earlier this week, the DED announced it has confiscated more than 800 products and issued fines up to Dh250,000 to those retailers violating regulations concerning promotions and sales. Primarily, the fined retailers were misleading customers by falsifying promotions and discounts.

For more, here is Omar Bu Shahab, CEO of The Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection Division (CCCP) in DED:  “DED formed the ‘double check’ team after it found that a number of stores have been providing inaccurate data and misguiding customers, especially tourists, claiming that they are offering up to 75 per cent discounts. The special team was aimed to shore up confidence among investors, businessmen and traders and to facilitate commercial activity in Dubai.”

Well hoorah for the DED, thinks Kipp. At the same think, we can’t help but snicker at the timing of this announcement. After all, the Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) are set to take off come June 14th. The DSS, is the summer offshoot of the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF). Aside from having a particularly annoying yellow mascot, the DSS is also known for its ‘sales.’

Far be it for Kipp to suggest these ‘sales’ are anything but legit–but we would like to quote the comments of one our readers, Andrew, on the subject: “Ah I miss the days of the first DSF, when “sales” meant companies ratcheted up their prices days before DSF kicked off, and the “sale” was a return to the regular price.”

Times have changed, but Kipp would like to see how harsh DED will be in slapping fines if these particular ‘sales’ coincide with their second biggest annual shopping attraction.

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