The Saudi Ministry of Commerce announced 10 urgent measures to address the delay in delivering cars to consumers from agents, and the resulting increase in prices in car showrooms and showrooms, according to the Saudi Press Agency, “SPA”.
The ministry said that in light of the existing global events and the effects resulting from the Corona pandemic and its impact on the global market for cars, and the reduction in the number of cars exported from factories to different countries; After coordination with the Ministry of Interior (represented by the General Traffic Department) and the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, as well as coordination with car dealerships, the Ministry took a number of measures as follows:
1- The Ministry of Commerce communicates with the manufacturers to increase the share allocated to the Kingdom of the most demanded cars in the Saudi market.
2- Car dealerships give individual consumers priority in providing the most requested cars, and reduce the percentage of cars allocated to distributors and showrooms.
3- Monitoring distributors and showrooms to ensure that there are no violating and harmful practices for the consumer in selling cars, raising their prices, and imposing penalties on violators.
4- Governance of reservation lists at car agencies, and enhancing transparency by giving consumers reservation numbers, linked to the identification number, and setting accurate priority in car reservation lists, and for each agent to provide the ministry with a “weekly” report on the prices of cars in high demand, their quantities, the date of arrival, and the number of cars. Reservation requests.
5- Requiring car dealerships to publish prices, policies, instructions and procedures for the mechanisms (purchasing, car reservation, listing on reservation lists, car delivery, periodic maintenance, communication channels dedicated to receiving inquiries and complaints) on their websites; And obligating the agents to state the obligations entrusted to them and the obligations entrusted to the consumer, starting from the stage of reservation and purchase until the completion of the sale process and delivery of the car.
6- Enable the consumer to reserve one car of the same type during the current year for the most popular cars until the end of the reservation lists.
7- To stop car rental companies from selling new cars to take advantage of the high prices, and to ensure that only customers purchase cars for the purpose of renting them.
8- Expedite the implementation of the electronic link between the Ministry, the Zakat, Tax, Customs Authority, the General Traffic Department, and car agencies and showrooms, to track the movement of car sales and monitor any violating transactions or practices.
9- Forming a working group with the membership of specialized representatives from each of: (The Ministry of Interior represented by the General Traffic Department, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority) to follow up the violating transactions and practices and take the necessary measures in this regard.
10- Intensifying inspection and control work, and continuing follow-up on car dealerships, distributors and showrooms, in coordination with the competent authorities, and imposing penalties on establishments that do not adhere to the regulations and instructions in force in the Kingdom, in a manner that ensures that any practices harmful to consumer rights are addressed.
The Ministry of Commerce stressed the importance of the role of the consumer and his awareness of his rights and duties, and the importance of his contributions in monitoring any commercial practices or violations, and informing the Ministry through the unified call center at the number (1900) or through the application of a “commercial notification” on smart devices.
