Buying second-hand, or asked to pay extra for using a certain payment method? The rules are about to change. The Council of Ministers approved the Consumer Protection Law at its session in Riyadh on Tuesday, 10 November 2026, chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
The law has 10 chapters and 76 articles. Minister of Commerce Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi described it as the first comprehensive consumer protection law in the Kingdom, with more than 20 government bodies sharing its enforcement. The Ministry of Commerce lists these main changes for consumers:
- For the first time, a warranty covers used products and used services.
- Businesses may not charge extra fees for a particular payment method, and fake reviews and comments are banned.
- Unfair contract terms are void, and contracts signed outside shop premises get protections similar to those in e-commerce.
- During crises and pandemics, the authorities may temporarily fix prices, cap profit margins and require prior approval for any price rise.
- Children, older people and people with disabilities get special protection, and consumer associations may file group lawsuits for compensation.
Penalties reach SAR 8 million in fines and two years in prison, plus business suspension, seizure of non-compliant products and blocking of offending websites. The law takes effect 180 days after publication in the Official Gazette and replaces three existing laws: the Anti-Commercial Fraud Law, the E-Commerce Law and the Commercial Data Law.
At the same session, the Cabinet decided the state will cover customs duties and VAT on a vehicle imported by a scholarship student, a government employee on official work abroad, or an accompanying adult family member, and approved an oil and gas memorandum of understanding with the Republic of Korea.
Source: Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Ministry of Commerce, Asharq Al-Awsat, Argaam, Ajel
