How to read a discount in the UAE: what the rules say and what to check

A 50% discount is 50% off the price the seller chose to show. That is not the same as 50% off a fair price. This guide starts with what to check before you buy, then sets out what UAE consumer rules say about displaying prices and discounts and what unit prices are for. It keeps the rules and Savara's suggestions apart. It is general consumer information, not legal advice.

What a discount tells you

A discount describes how two prices relate. It does not say whether either price is fair. A large percentage can come from a high starting price, and a small one can be a good price. What matters is what you would pay compared with what you would otherwise pay.

Eight checks before you buy

These are Savara's suggestions, not rules.

Start with the price you would pay, in dirhams. The percentage is the seller's framing. The dirham price is the number that leaves your account.
Find the before price and the after price. Both should be on the advert or shelf tag. If only a percentage is shown, ask for the prices.
Compare the after price with another retailer's current price for the same item. This is the one check that does not depend on the seller's starting price.
Read the conditions. Look for dates, exclusions and any discount-card terms.
Ask whether the price changes soon. If a discount starts within a week of your purchase, the regulation says you should be told.
Check the total at the till. The regulation says no extra amount should be added for paying by credit card.
For groceries and cleaning products in larger stores, compare unit prices. A larger pack is not automatically cheaper per unit.
Keep the receipt. You will need it if something goes wrong.

What the rules say

The main federal rules are in Federal Law No. 15 of 2020 on Consumer Protection and its executive regulation, Cabinet Resolution No. 66 of 2023. The Ministry of Economy and Tourism's legislation page lists Cabinet Resolution No. 66 of 2023 as the executive regulation for the Consumer Protection Law.

The provisions below come from the English translation on the UAE Government's legislation portal. It is a translation, so check the Arabic original on the same portal if the exact wording matters to you.

What the regulation says	Where
Prices of goods and services must be announced clearly and legibly: on the good, on a card where it is displayed, or at the place where a service is offered.	Article 5(1)
A provider must clearly state whether it accepts discount cards and the value of the discount.	Article 5(2)
A provider must not add extra amounts when a consumer pays by credit card.	Article 5(3)
A provider may not charge a higher price than the one announced in its advertising.	Article 32
A description, advertisement or offer is deceptive if it creates an unreal or misleading impression, including about price.	Article 8
A provider must obtain a prior licence from the competent authority, in line with that authority's procedures, when announcing discounts and when promoting goods or services.	Article 31(1) and (2)
A provider must notify the consumer of a discount that will apply within a week of their purchase. If it does not, the consumer has the right to recover the price difference within 30 days of purchase.	Article 31(3)

The regulation text does not set out how long a "was" price must have applied before a discount. Other rules or local requirements may exist. Treat a "was" price as a claim to check, not as proof of a genuine reduction.

Unit prices

Ministerial Decision No. 245 of 2024 took effect on 2 January 2025. Its text says:

It covers basic consumer goods, as defined in Cabinet Decision No. 120 of 2022, and household cleaning materials.
It applies to retail stores and digital traders. A retail store is defined as a physical or digital business whose physical store space exceeds 1,000 square metres.
The unit price must be displayed prominently, close to the selling price, and be readable.
For goods sold by weight, the unit is the kilogram or 100 grams. For goods sold by volume, it is the litre or 100 millilitres.
The Minister can amend the list of goods and the store-size threshold, so the current scope may differ from the text above.

The point of a unit price is comparison. It lets you compare products across pack sizes and brands on the same basis.

If something looks misleading

Keep evidence: photos of the price tag or advert, the receipt and the date. The regulation lists what a complaint to the competent authority should include: your name, address and the date, the business's name and address, the type of violation, and the evidence and related documents (Article 35).

Nationwide: the Ministry of Economy and Tourism lists a consumer protection call centre on 800 1222 and a Consumer Complaints service on its website.
In Dubai: the Department of Economy and Tourism's Consumer Rights portal has a page for consumers to submit complaints.
Unit prices: the decision says consumers can complain about a breach using the same procedures as other consumer complaints.