Saudi Consumer Protection Rules for Online Stores (2026)

Saudi Arabia doesn't have one consumer protection law yet, but it has a set of clear, well-enforced rules instead.

The Saudi E-Commerce Law covers online contracts: the 7-day cancellation right, delivery delays and what you disclose before payment. Around it sit the Ministry of Commerce (MC) rules on prices, sales, returns, warranty and complaints, backed by the Anti-Commercial Fraud Law.

That's good news, because the rules are practical and stores that follow them look trustworthy to Saudi shoppers.

Here's what applies to your store today, what's changing, and how to get it right.

Is there a Saudi consumer protection law?

Not as a single statute in force. The Ministry of Commerce drafted a Consumer Protection Law and opened it to public comment in 2022.

The government's 2026 trade plan targets issuing it this year. It aims to balance the rights of businesses and shoppers and to protect buyers from harmful or defective products.

Until the new law is published, the rules below are the ones MC enforces. Set your store up on them now and you'll need only small tweaks when it lands.

Which rules apply to your online store?

Each rule comes from a different instrument:

Prices: one honest price, VAT included

The price on your product page is the price the shopper pays, so it must already include 15% VAT.

MC treats a checkout total above the shown price as a commercial violation. Delivery and any COD fee you disclose upfront can be added at checkout, but tax can't.

Need the platform settings? Our guide to VAT-inclusive pricing covers Shopify, Salla, Zid and WooCommerce.

Sales and discounts: get the MC licence first

Every sale campaign needs a Ministry of Commerce discount licence, online stores included. That covers White Friday, Ramadan, National Day and even one-day flash sales.

The process is quick:

• Apply at sales.mc.gov.sa with your CR, the product list and before-and-after prices.
• Pay SAR 300 per store, and the licence is issued instantly.
• Discount properly. Each price drops by at least 10% from its genuine previous price. A partial sale covers at least half your products.
• Show the old and new price on each product, plus the licence on your store.

Seasonal licences don't use up your yearly discount allowance. For price points and rounding, see pricing in SAR and AED.

Returns, exchanges and refunds: write your policy down

MC's rule is simple: you must publish a clear, written return and exchange policy, and you're bound by its terms.

If you have no policy, you can't refuse a return or exchange.

Your policy should cover:

• Periods and conditions, including any special terms during sales.
• Exclusions for health and safety items, such as cosmetics, underwear and opened food. State them before purchase.
• Refund method. Refund the full price, VAT included, by the original payment method unless the customer agrees otherwise.
• Delivery time. Online stores should allow for shipping when setting the return window.

Most Saudi shoppers expect returns similar to the big marketplaces. For the logistics side, see returns in Saudi Arabia.

Warranty and defective goods

A change-of-mind return and a faulty product are different things, and faults are always your job to fix.

If an item is counterfeit or doesn't match its specifications, the customer can claim within 30 days of purchase. If the fault only shows up later, that window runs longer.

Once they ask, you have 15 days to repay them.

Any warranty you advertise is a promise you must keep. State its length and how to claim it on the product page, and honour the manufacturer warranty for brands you resell.

Arabic labels and product information

Products sold in Saudi Arabia need Arabic product information. For food, Arabic labels are mandatory and other languages must say the same thing.

Most consumer goods also need origin, importer details, warnings and usage instructions in Arabic. Regulated products need their SASO or SFDA approvals on top of that.

See GCC product labelling for the label checklist and SABER and SASO for certificates.

Complaints: answer within 30 days

Your store must publish how customers can complain and how you resolve it.

The process MC expects:

1. The customer contacts your complaints channel first.
2. You give a reference number.
3. You accept or reject the complaint in writing, with reasons, within 30 days.

If they're still unhappy, they report you to MC on the unified number 1900 or the Balagh Tijari (Commercial Report) app. These channels handle reports about stores authenticated on the Business Platform, which replaced Maroof in 2023.

What are the penalties for commercial fraud?

The Anti-Commercial Fraud Law covers counterfeit, adulterated and misdescribed goods. Selling them can cost a fine of up to SAR 1 million, prison of up to 3 years, or both.

Fraudulent goods are confiscated and destroyed, while E-Commerce Law breaches carry their own fines and store blocking.

So what should you do? Buy from traceable suppliers, keep invoices, and describe products exactly as they are.

Worked example: a White Friday sale done right

A Riyadh skincare store plans a 20% White Friday sale on 40 of its 60 products. Here's how each rule plays out:

• Licence. It applies at sales.mc.gov.sa, pays SAR 300 and gets the licence instantly.
• Coverage. Discounting 40 of 60 products covers 67% of the range, above the 50% minimum.
• Depth. A 20% cut clears the 10% minimum on every product.
• Prices. A SAR 115 serum (VAT included) shows "was SAR 115, now SAR 92". Checkout charges SAR 92 plus the shown delivery fee, and the invoice shows SAR 12 of VAT inside that price.
• Returns. The policy says opened skincare can't be returned for hygiene reasons, and says so on every product page.
• Refund. A damaged bottle isn't a change-of-mind return, so the hygiene rule doesn't apply. The store refunds the full SAR 92 to the customer's mada card, well inside the 15-day deadline.

That's a compliant campaign, and a store customers trust.

Notes for cross-border sellers

• The rules follow the shopper. Selling to Saudi customers from abroad means the same price, return and fraud rules apply.
• Ship DDP. Prepaid duty and VAT keep your shown price final at the door.
• Arabic labels before shipping. Fix labels at the factory, not after customs.

Notes for marketplace sellers

• Marketplaces run their own return policies, which usually go beyond the legal minimum. Follow theirs.
• Discount rules still apply to sales you run on your own listings.
• Fake or misdescribed listings fall under the fraud law, whatever the platform.

Want help with Arabic policies or labels? Compare Arabic translation agencies in Saudi Arabia, or browse all Saudi regulations.