Sisi endorses Consumer Protection Law

CAIRO – 29 September 2018: President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi endorsed Friday Law no. 181/2018 on consumer protection, which was approved by the Parliament. The law guarantees the consumer’s right of a refund within 14 days of purchasing date when returning a product as long as the receipt is available.

The law states that:

- A fine of LE20,000 - LE500,000 is imposed on sellers in case of abstaining from providing a receipt, not indicating the price of products, and circulating products that incite racism or discrimination.
- A fine of LE10,000 – LE 1 million is set for false advertising.
- It is prohibited to announce fake sales, and manipulate expiry dates and prices claiming that the extra value is for VAT.
- Sellers are obliged to provide a receipt even if the consumer does not request it. Receipts must include all data about the product and the seller.
- It is prohibited to advertise real estate projects without first obtaining necessary construction licenses and setting delivery dates.
- All technical labor hired by producers must be registered at the Ministry of Labor.
- Producers must secure spare parts even after the warranty expires as long as the product’s lifespan is not over.
- It is prohibited to announce contests without the permission of the Consumer Protection Agency.
- The consumer has the right to replace the damaged product within 30 days of purchasing date.
- The agency has the right to issue a “consumer friendly” certificate for suppliers and sellers who offer significant benefits for consumers.
- A number of the agency’s employees are given the power of arrest.
- Street vendors are prohibited from reaching out for houses unless requested by buyers.
- Sellers of used cars are obliged to provide reports of the flaws in the cars for buyers.
- NGOs working in the consumer protection domain have the right to file and follow up with relevant lawsuits on behalf of consumers, observe and compare prices and products’ quality, verify data, ensure the sellers’ abidance to indicated prices, and receive and verify the consumers’ complaints.
- NGOs are prohibited from receiving grants or donations from suppliers or advertisers. The agency would provide financial and technical support for NGOs that will receive 10 percent of the settlements’ value collected by the agency.