“There is no doubt that the consumer is the weakest link in the trade relationship as there is currently no law or system that can provide consumer protection or that supports regulatory services by the Ministry of Commerce to make sure there are substantial reasons behind price elevations,” NSHR President Mofleh Al-Qahtani said in a statement.

He said the NSHR has received a number of complaints and grievances regarding unjustified price increases and the failure of relevant authorities to protect consumer interests.

Al-Qahtani also mentioned that the rise in residential and commercial rental properties leads to a subsequent rise in the cost of goods and services.

“Despite our belief there exists external causes that may have led to higher prices, such as the higher costs of imports, transportation and insurance, there are goods and services that have been the subject of steep price increases without explanation,” he added.

Some of the points in the proposal to the Royal Court is the establishment of a national center that would monitor prices as well as costs to ensure the price increases are related to legitimate inflationary pressure and not just attempts to gouge customers.

The human rights body also said it would like to see price controls that limit annual increases of rent, as well as good and services, at not more than 5 percent.

“As a result we would like to call on all regulatory authorities responsible for consumer protection to do what is dictated by the law and control prices as well as periodically explain to consumers the reasons for the increase in prices in order to avoid further harm to their living conditions,” Al-Qahtani said.