- DUBAI: Sultan bin Saeed Al-Mansoori, UAE economy minister and chairman of the Supreme Committee for Consumer Protection, has directed retailers to stop charging additional fees from credit card users from July 1.
Shoppers say that several retailers currently levy a surcharge of AED2 to AED4 from customers, citing various reasons.
Al-Mansoori presided over the second meeting of the Committee for 2011, which passed a resolution prohibiting retailers from imposing surcharges on credit card usage as commission.
The panel stressed the need for actions that support consumers' rights and boost economic competitiveness and growth.
The meeting also agreed to liberalize trading of 15 new products such as detergents and washing powders, dairy products and juices, drinking water, livestock, feed, fats and oils, and the list will be sent to the Cabinet for approval.
The members reviewed a report on advertisements for fast food outlets and recommended that awareness measures must be initiated to protect customers' interests.