CPA warns traders against duping consumers in the guise of VAT

Strict monitoring: Head of consumer watchdog tours business and commercial establishments

BUSINESS REPORTER

MUSCAT, APRIL 26

Salim bin Ali al Hakmani, Chairman of the Consumer Protection Authority, toured a number of shopping centres and commercial establishments in the governorates of North and South Al Batinah as part of ongoing field visits designed to ensure that the newly introduced Value Added Tax (VAT) is not an excuse for businesses to overcharge consumers.

Any breach of VAT application guidelines, the Authority warned, would infringe the rights of consumers and hurt their purchasing ability.

In his interactions with businesses and distributors, Al Hakmani stressed the need for the trading community to nurture an atmosphere characterised by cooperation with consumers and government agencies overseeing the smooth implementation of VAT.

Consumers, he noted, must feel assured and confident about the pricing of goods in the wake of VAT’s roll-out.

Any transgressions, Al Hakmani warned, will expose the guilty parties to legal action by the Authority. Such breaches may take the form of overpricing of goods well above the 5 per cent VAT levy, the application of VAT on exempt goods, failure to provide tax invoices, and son on – actions that the Authority will not hesitate to hold accountable.

Feedback collected from various stakeholders during the tour will be shared with the relevant authorities with the goal of developing suitable solutions, he noted.

Al Hakmani also interacted with consumers to gauge their opinions on the current market situation following the implementation of VAT.

He stressed the need for the general public to better understand the intricacies of VAT application, the methodology for calculating the new levy, and commodities listed as VAT exempt or zero-rated for VAT.

He urged consumers to swiftly report any suspected breaches by the business community through the various channels offered by the Authority.