Kuwait's Ministry of Commerce and Industry has introduced new regulations aimed at enhancing transparency and oversight within the country’s rapidly growing e-commerce sector. Minister Osama Boodai announced the measures on Friday, describing them as a significant step toward establishing a clearer and more balanced framework for electronic platforms and intermediary applications involved in displaying, ordering, and delivering products.

According to Boodai, the regulations seek to balance the interests of consumers, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and e-commerce platforms, while fostering a stable investment environment. He highlighted that the new rules are not designed to restrict the expansion of online platforms but to clearly define the rights and responsibilities of all parties involved in the digital marketplace.

The minister underscored the importance of digital platforms in advancing Kuwait’s digital economy by generating job opportunities and enhancing consumer access to goods and services. Among the new provisions are explicit standards regulating platform commissions and delivery charges, along with requirements for greater transparency regarding paid advertisements and promotional content. These transparency measures aim to enable consumers to make better-informed purchasing decisions.

Boodai also emphasized that the ministry plans to maintain ongoing dialogue with stakeholders throughout the implementation period. He noted that sustaining the growth of both e-commerce platforms and SMEs is a complementary objective that will contribute to building a resilient and sustainable digital economy in Kuwait.

The introduction of these regulations comes amid a period of rapid expansion in Kuwait’s e-commerce sector, reflecting broader global trends toward increased reliance on digital commerce and the need for frameworks that protect consumer rights while supporting business innovation.