Al-Sharq, 29 September 2024: The Commerce and Industry Ministry is carrying out an organised campaign in markets across the country to monitor and control violating stores that do not provide electronic payment methods as a service to customers.

The concerned ministry has detected numerous violations and will close stores that have not met the conditions within the previously granted deadline.

It is also notifying other violating stores for the first time and giving them a specific deadline to rectify their situation.

After that, stricter measures will be taken, including closure, violations, and financial fines for violators.

The new requirements are verified through field tours conducted by ministry inspectors to monitor various markets across the country.

During inspection tours, compliance with relevant instructions is monitored.

Additionally, there is a dedicated hotline for receiving public complaints, through which the relevant authorities receive various complaints, including stores’ non-compliance with providing electronic payment services, which is a violation punishable by law.

It is worth noting that the Commerce and Industry Ministry has issued a decision, in addition to instructions from the Qatar Central Bank, requiring commercial establishments operating in the country at all levels to provide one of the electronic payment services.

This aims to facilitate daily banking transactions for the public and beneficiaries and enable consumers to benefit from this service, which is their right to pay for purchases or service fees using credit cards, cash, or ATM cards, without imposing any additional fees or commissions on the prices of goods or services.

Equal treatment must be ensured between those who pay in cash and those who pay through electronic payment cards, without any additional charges, regardless of the method chosen by the consumer.

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