Consumer complaints in Dubai drop 2% in 2021 despite packed shopping events season

Dubai recorded a 2 per cent decrease in the number of consumer complaints filed last year, despite a packed season of shopping events, as the emirate stepped up consumer protection measures and improved customer outreach.

The Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection (CCCP) section in the Department of Economy and Tourism received more than 60,000 responses as feedback from shoppers in 2021 as the retail sector in Dubai recovered from the impact of Covid-19 pandemic, the government entity said on Wednesday.

Of these, 1,094 were inquiries, 1,471 were observations and 58,167 were complaints that were resolved, the Department of Economy and Tourism said.

“The decrease seen in consumer complaints despite visitors returning in large numbers to malls and markets in Dubai in 2021 underlines an increased awareness among consumers as well as merchants,” said Mohammed Lootah, chief executive of the CCCP section.

“Such shared knowledge and mutual trust have a major impact on Dubai sustaining its reputation as a retail hub and tourist destination.”

Dubai, the commercial and trading centre of the Middle East, has rebounded strongly from the pandemic after a well-rounded testing and inoculation campaign helped it to reopen its economy safely.

The emirate's gross domestic product at constant prices grew 6.3 per cent annually in the first nine months of last year, helped by favourable government policies and supportive fiscal measures, according to official data.

GDP growth between January and September was driven by the trading sector, which grew 7.6 per cent annually and represented 25.4 per cent of the emirate’s economy.

It helped the overall economy to grow by 1.9 percentage points. The growth recorded by the trading sector also accounted for about 30 per cent of overall growth achieved in the emirate's GDP.

The drop in consumer complaints in Dubai came despite a packed retail calendar last year that included the Dubai Shopping Festival, and Dubai Summer Surprises.

“Shoppers in Dubai, including visitors, tourists and residents, are constantly being reminded of their consumer rights,” Mr Lootah said. “We have also made it easier for them to connect with us instantly and have their complaints and concerns resolved amicably.”

Ease of communication was a major factor driving consumer engagement, given that 94 per cent of shoppers using the smart channels of CCCP to voice their concerns had their complaints resolved in 2021.

Most of the consumer complaints received last year originated from the services sector, the data showed.

Services accounted for 34.41 per cent of the complaints, followed by electronics (13.59 per cent) and e-commerce (10.84 per cent).

Refunds were the top reason for consumer complaints, followed by a failure to comply with purchase agreement, defective products and commercial fraud, according to the CCCP.

Emiratis accounted for 24 per cent of the consumer complaints in 2021 while the rest were mostly from Indians (14 per cent), Egyptians (11 per cent), Saudis (4 per cent) and Jordanians (4 per cent).

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Transmission: Automatic with manual shifting mode

Power: 121hp

Torque: 142Nm

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Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

The Case For Trump

By Victor Davis Hanson

'Unrivaled: Why America Will Remain the World’s Sole Superpower'
Michael Beckley, Cornell Press

The specs

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Essentials

The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.

Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.

In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.

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Employment lawyer Meriel Schindler of Withers Worldwide shares her tips on achieving equal pay

Do your homework
Make sure that you are being offered a fair salary. There is lots of industry data available, and you can always talk to people who have come out of the organisation. Where I see people coming a cropper is where they haven’t done their homework.

Don’t be afraid to negotiate
It’s quite standard to negotiate if you think an offer is on the low side. The job is unlikely to be withdrawn if you ask for money, and if that did happen I’d question whether you want to work for an employer who is so hypersensitive.

Know your worth
Women tend to be a bit more reticent to talk about their achievements. In my experience they need to have more confidence in their own abilities – men will big up what they’ve done to get a pay rise, and to compete women need to turn up the volume.

Work together
If you suspect men in your organisation are being paid more, look your boss in the eye and say, “I want you to assure me that I’m paid equivalent to my peers”. If you’re not getting a straight answer, talk to your peer group and consider taking direct action to fix inequality.