Minister of Commerce Issues Decree Restricting the Purchase of Subsidized Goods to Citizens, Their Families, and Their Domestic Workers

Kuwait’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Osama Al-Boudi, issued a ministerial decree on Tuesday restricting the distribution of subsidized goods to Kuwaiti citizens, their families, and their domestic workers, while canceling all previous regulations allowing distribution to other categories.

The Ministry of Commerce stated in a press release that the decree amended Article 5, Item 1 of Ministerial Decree No. 216 of 2014, which implements Law No. 117 of 2013, to specify that eligible recipients of subsidized goods are Kuwaiti citizens, their families, and their domestic workers.

The ministry added that the decree annulled all provisions that previously authorized or regulated the distribution or use of subsidized goods for categories not specified in the new decree.

It clarified that the decree also suspends the allocation of subsidized goods on the ration card for anyone proven to have resold or transferred the goods to others, with violators referred to the competent authorities to take necessary legal action against them.

The decree takes effect from the date of its issuance, repeals any conflicting provisions, and was published in the Official Gazette.