The UAE has introduced new anti-commercial fraud rules requiring businesses to withdraw counterfeit, adulterated and spoiled goods from markets and warehouses within 24 hours of receiving an official notification.
The rules affect suppliers, distributors, retailers and businesses involved in selling goods across the UAE, including companies operating in the e-commerce sector.
The changes aim to strengthen consumer protection, remove unsafe and fraudulent products faster and improve trust in the UAE marketplace.
- Location: UAE
- Organisation: Ministry of Economy and Tourism and relevant local authorities
- Status: New Executive Regulations issued under Cabinet Decision No. 107 of 2026
- Who is affected: Suppliers, distributors, retailers and consumers
- Business impact: Affected goods must be withdrawn within 24 hours, while public announcements must be made within 48 hours
- What’s next: Authorities will continue inspections and enforcement against commercial fraud
The UAE has introduced stricter rules requiring businesses to remove counterfeit, spoiled and adulterated goods within 24 hours of receiving an official notification from authorities.
The Ministry of Economy and Tourism announced the new Executive Regulations governing the UAE’s Anti-Commercial Fraud Law, setting clear deadlines for suppliers to stop selling affected products, withdraw them from markets and warehouses, and notify businesses that received the goods.
The new UAE counterfeit goods rules are designed to protect consumers, strengthen market oversight and ensure unsafe or fraudulent products are removed quickly.
Businesses must stop selling affected goods immediately
Under the new regulations, suppliers that receive an official notification from the Ministry of Economy and Tourism or another competent authority must immediately stop selling or offering the affected goods.
The products must then be withdrawn from markets and warehouses within 24 hours.
The rules apply to adulterated, spoiled and counterfeit goods identified by authorities.
Suppliers must also inform all points of sale and other businesses that received the products within the same 24-hour period.
They must take steps to recover the goods and provide evidence showing that the notification, withdrawal and recovery procedures have been completed.
This means the responsibility does not end when a supplier removes the products from its own warehouse. Businesses must also act to ensure affected goods are taken off shelves and removed from other sales channels.
Public announcements must be made within 48 hours
The regulations also require suppliers to publicly announce the withdrawal of affected products within 48 hours of receiving the official notification.
According to the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, the announcement must clearly identify the products involved and be published through media channels designated by the Ministry or relevant authority.
The information must be available in both Arabic and English.
However, authorities can shorten the deadline when faster action is needed.
This could happen when products pose a risk to human or animal health, public safety or the environment.
The faster notification process is particularly important for products that could cause immediate harm if consumers continue buying or using them.
What happens if businesses fail to remove the goods?
Suppliers that do not follow the withdrawal procedures within the required timeframe could face further action.
If a business fails to remove the affected products, the Ministry or relevant authority can take the necessary steps to withdraw the goods from markets and warehouses.
The cost of the withdrawal process will be charged to the supplier.
Authorities can also intervene when they are unable to contact the supplier. In such cases, affected goods can be withdrawn within 48 hours from the date authorities establish that the products are present in the market.
The supplier may still be required to cover the costs involved.
Authorities can take custody of counterfeit, spoiled or adulterated goods and store them at designated locations. The public may also be warned against purchasing or using the products, with authorities providing details about their type, description and trademarks.
UAE steps up inspections to tackle commercial fraud
The new regulations come as the UAE continues to increase its efforts to combat commercial fraud.
According to the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, authorities conducted 10,023 inspection tours related to commercial fraud during the first quarter of 2026.
The inspections resulted in 189 violations being detected across the UAE.
The Ministry has been working with local economic and supervisory authorities to strengthen inspections and improve monitoring across different parts of the market.
This includes cooperation with economic departments, sales outlets and e-commerce platforms to identify counterfeit, adulterated and non-conforming goods.
The Ministry has also highlighted the use of intelligent systems and data analysis to monitor market activity and identify potential violations.
The latest regulations provide a clearer legal framework for what happens once suspected fraudulent goods are discovered.
The rules also cover e-commerce, seized goods and misleading advertising
The new Executive Regulations go beyond the withdrawal of affected products.
They also set procedures for inspections, detecting violations, seizing goods and handling products after they are removed from the market.
The regulations include rules covering how seized goods can be stored, recycled, re-exported or destroyed.
Where products can legally be returned to their country of origin or exporting country and do not pose health, safety or environmental risks, suppliers may be required to re-export them within 30 days of seizure.
The supplier is responsible for the costs.
Where destruction is ordered by a competent court or the Supreme Committee for Combating Commercial Fraud, authorities must follow the required legal procedures and document the process.
The regulations state that destruction should take place within 15 working days of the relevant judgment or decision unless authorities decide otherwise.
The framework also addresses misleading and deceptive commercial practices.
This includes providing false information about the nature, quality, origin or components of goods, as well as misleading advertising and promotion.
The rules also extend to unlawful commercial practices connected with e-commerce, reflecting the growing role of online shopping in the UAE.
For UAE residents, the new rules mean authorities and businesses now have clearer deadlines for removing counterfeit, spoiled and adulterated goods from the market.
Consumers benefit from faster action when unsafe or fraudulent products are identified.
For businesses, the regulations create clearer responsibilities and timelines. Suppliers and distributors must act quickly once they receive an official notification and ensure affected products are removed throughout the supply chain.
The changes are also important for the wider UAE economy.
Stronger action against commercial fraud can help protect legitimate businesses and trademark owners while supporting consumer confidence in the country’s retail and e-commerce markets.
The Ministry of Economy and Tourism has made clear that it will continue working with local authorities and businesses to strengthen market monitoring and enforcement.
Businesses can also apply for conciliation in some cases
The Executive Regulations also establish a conciliation process for certain violations.
A business or its representative can submit a conciliation request within 10 working days of being notified about a violation and financial penalty.
Authorities then have 15 working days to decide whether to accept or reject the request.
Conciliation is subject to specific conditions.
For example, the business must not have received a penalty under the Anti-Commercial Fraud Law during the previous 12 months. The violation must also have resulted from a mistake or negligence rather than a deliberate or bad-faith act.
Even when conciliation is approved, it does not remove civil liability for any damages caused by the violation.
FAQs
What are the new UAE rules for counterfeit and spoiled goods?
Businesses must immediately stop selling affected products after receiving an official notification and withdraw counterfeit, spoiled or adulterated goods from markets and warehouses within 24 hours.
How long do businesses have to announce a product withdrawal?
Suppliers must publicly announce the withdrawal within 48 hours of receiving the official notification. Authorities can shorten the deadline if the products pose urgent health, safety or environmental risks.
What happens if a supplier does not remove affected goods?
The Ministry of Economy and Tourism or the relevant authority can remove the products from the market and warehouses. The supplier can be required to cover the costs.
Do the new rules apply to online shopping in the UAE?
Yes. The Executive Regulations also address unlawful commercial practices connected with e-commerce and strengthen coordination between authorities and businesses operating across different sales channels.
Can consumers report counterfeit or non-compliant goods?
The Ministry of Economy and Tourism has encouraged consumers to report non-compliant commercial practices to the relevant authorities.
The UAE’s new anti-commercial fraud regulations set strict timelines for businesses dealing with counterfeit, spoiled and adulterated goods. With a 24-hour withdrawal deadline and a 48-hour public announcement requirement, the rules are designed to ensure affected products are removed from the market as quickly as possible.
For shoppers, the changes mean stronger protection. For businesses, they bring clearer responsibilities and greater accountability across the supply chain.
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