Commerce Ministry Inspects School Supply Stores
The Ministry of Commerce carried out 2,259 inspection tours of school supply outlets — including bookstores and stationery shops — across all regions of the Kingdom ahead of the new academic year 1448/1449 AH (2026), covering stores in malls, commercial streets, and neighborhood markets in cities such as Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam.
The campaign focused on making sure shelves are well stocked with textbooks, notebooks, pens, backpacks, and related items in sufficient quantities for the start of school, while also checking the availability of alternative products for families.
Inspectors monitored price stability and confirmed there were no unjustified increases compared with prevailing market levels and advertised promotions. They also verified that all products carry clear price tags or electronic pricing, and that prices shown on shelves match those at the cash register. It is worth noting that no fixed national prices are set for specific items such as notebooks or backpacks — prices are monitored for stability rather than capped.
The tours included oversight of discounts and promotional offers to ensure announced discounts are genuine, correctly calculated, and compliant with commercial regulations, alongside checks against commercial fraud and imitation goods.
How to report a violation
Consumers who notice price issues, non-displayed prices, fake discounts, or counterfeit products can submit reports through the Ministry of Commerce's official channels, including the Balagh Tijari application and the unified call center on 1900. The school-supply inspections form part of a broader nationwide monitoring program that runs across different sectors and seasons throughout the year.
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