Sharjah Economic Development Department “SEDD” handled 2,515 complaints it received during the first quarter of this year 2021. According to the data issued by the Department, these complaints were distributed on many categories whereby the largest share of complaints received were those for consumer protection with 2,228 complaints, followed by commercial fraud complaints with 147 complaints, and then the service agent complaints with 140 complaints.

Consumer protection complaints were distributed to include many sectors. Complaints from the auto and spare parts sector recorded 22% of the total consumer protection complaints received by the Department, while complaints from mobile phones and electronics reached 14%. Then, complaints for furniture and curtains hit 12%, whereas complaints related to electrical appliances and building materials reached 9%. On the other hand, complaints for tourism, travel and shipping sector reached 8%, as well as personal-service activities complaints touched 7%. It should be noted that other complaints were distributed unevenly on the various other economic sectors.

HE Sultan Abdullah bin Hadda Al Suwaidi, SEDD Chairman, said that the Department always seeks to enhance consumer protection culture by educating consumers and investors about their rights and duties. Such thing is done through an ideal commercial environment with a high culture of awareness and impartiality in the procedures of buying and selling in all economic sectors, following the highest international standards and practices. These results confirm the active role that SEDD plays in preserving the rights of consumers, and the extent to which it can educate consumers and enhance the economic and commercial status in the emirate.

Al Suwaidi explained that SEDD is keen to address these complaints as soon as possible sue to its strategy that calls for improving the satisfaction and loyalty of key customers and partners, by adopting best practices in procedures and quality systems for performance development.

From his side, Salim Ahmed Al Suwaidi, Deputy Director of Commercial Control and Protection Department at SEDD, affirmed the commitment of the Department to work with merchants and consumers to create a fair relationship between the two parties. He pointed out that the Department communicates through all possible means with consumers in Sharjah’s markets to educate them and to inform them of their basic rights. He illustrated that these rights provided to customers through platforms, websites and continuous field visits, as well as through communicating.

Salim Al Suwaidi added that SEDD’s role is not restricted to protecting consumers and investors only, but rather to familiarize traders with the systems and procedures adopted to avoid disputes or complaints against them, but rather to implement inspection campaigns to ensure the safety of all economic practices in the markets. Likely, he pointed out that the complaints index during the first quarter of this year reflects the extent of consumers' response to the awareness campaigns and initiatives that are organized continuously and in a variety of ways.

On the other hand, Ali Fadil, Head of Commercial Protection Section stated that SEDD deals with many different cases of consumer complaints, and each of them is handled in cooperation with all concerned parties, in order to reach a solution that satisfies everyone and preserves their rights.

Ali Fadil emphasized that informing and educating consumers about their rights is one of the mechanisms for providing protection for them, as knowing rights and duties is the most important way to build organized and modern markets. He pointed out that the culture of consumer rights is spread in local markets, whether among shoppers or commercial companies in various sectors. Likewise, he illustrated that the awareness campaigns are spreading in an interactive and innovative way on a large scale in various commercial facilities, ranging from shopping centers to traditional commercial markets.

Furthermore, Ali Fadil stressed that the Department will not be complacent to action of violation and will not tolerate with any establishment that does not adhere to the procedures issued by the concerned authorities. He also said that it is important for everyone to cooperate with the Department to achieve the desired goals that have been set to protect society in the current circumstances.

Moreover, the Department calls on the public to communicate with it in the event of any violation through the call center number 80080000 or by visiting the consumer protection website www.shjconsumer.ae.