If you’ve ever side-eyed a suspiciously cheap “designer” bag at a Deira souq or a too-good-to-be-true skincare deal on an online marketplace, the UAE just gave the crackdown on that stuff real teeth. Under new Executive Regulations of the country’s Anti-Commercial Fraud Law, suppliers now have a hard 24-hour window to pull counterfeit, adulterated or unsafe products once they’re officially notified in UAE. If they don’t, the government will do it for them, then send them the bill.
What Happens In That First 24 Hours
The rules were explained in detail at a Ministry of Economy and Tourism briefing this week, and they cover a lot more ground than most shoppers probably realise, from supermarket shelves to the online cart you just abandoned. Once a supplier gets official notice that a product needs to go, the clock starts immediately. They have to stop selling it, pull it from shelves and warehouses, notify every point of sale carrying it, and hand over proof to authorities that it’s actually been recalled, all within 24 hours.
It doesn’t stop there. Suppliers then have 48 hours to put out a public announcement about the withdrawal, in both Arabic and English, so shoppers who may have already bought the product know what’s going on. If the item poses a genuine health, safety or environmental risk, that timeline can be squeezed even tighter. Miss the 24-hour deadline entirely, and the Ministry steps in to do the recall itself within the next 48 hours, at the supplier’s expense, naturally.
Seizure, Destruction And Who Actually Pays
This is where it gets interesting for anyone who’s wondered what happens to confiscated fakes after they disappear from a shop floor. Authorities can now seize suspect goods and hold them in custody while inspections happen again, at the violator’s cost, not the taxpayer’s. If the goods can legally be sent back to their country of origin, that has to happen within 30 days of seizure. If not, and destruction is ordered, it generally must occur within 15 working days of the court’s or committee’s decision.
Crucially, the rules apply to everyone “regular supermarkets, pharmacies… all retailers, all traders,” as Safeya Al Safi, Assistant Undersecretary at the Ministry, put it plainly. E-commerce isn’t exempt either; the Ministry can flag fraudulent products directly to online platforms and have them pulled or flagged before a single customer clicks “buy.”
Also Read:UAE Work Permits: What Employers Need To Know Before Hiring From Overseas
There’s also a distinction worth knowing: a retailer who unknowingly received fake stock from a supplier is treated very differently from one who knowingly ordered counterfeit goods to sell. Each case, officials say, is assessed on its own facts.
What This Actually Means For You As A Shopper
For the average UAE resident, the takeaway is simple, if something is officially flagged as fraudulent, it should disappear from sale fast, and there should be a public notice about it if you’ve already bought it. The Ministry says it ran over 10,000 inspection tours in the first quarter of 2026 alone, catching 189 violations, and it’s leaning on tech like intelligent monitoring systems to widen that net further.
Cover Image Courtesy: CanvaPro/tmarvin from Getty Images Signature
FAQs
How long do UAE suppliers have to remove counterfeit or unsafe goods once notified?
24 hours from the moment they receive official notification from the Ministry of Economy and Tourism or the relevant authority.
What happens if a supplier misses the 24-hour deadline?
The Ministry or competent authority can step in and carry out the withdrawal itself within the next 48 hours, with all costs charged back to the supplier.
Who pays for seizing, storing or destroying counterfeit products?
The violator does. Costs for seizure, custody, return, destruction or disposal are all recoverable from the supplier.
