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The Ministry of Commerce announced that commercial firms and online stores offer over 12 million discounted products for National Day, covering all types of consumer goods. The ministry has issued more than 3,500 discount licenses to commercial establishments and online stores for the occasion. Each license permits an establishment to extend the discounts across all its branches and points of sale. This activity forms part of broader preparations for the kingdom’s National Day celebrations later this month.
According to the ministry, consumers can confirm the legality and validity of the discounts by scanning the barcode of the unified electronic code shown on the discount license with a mobile phone camera. The scan provides all relevant information, including the type and percentage of the discounts, their duration and the establishment’s details. The ministry has encouraged shoppers to utilise this verification method before making purchases to ensure full transparency.
The Ministry of Commerce continues to inspect establishments and stores across all regions of the Kingdom to verify compliance with discount regulations and requirements. In the equivalent campaign for the 95th National Day, the ministry conducted more than 14,000 field visits and recorded hundreds of violations for non-compliant practices, according to ministry reports. These oversight measures seek to safeguard consumer interests and uphold fair trading standards throughout the promotional period.
Ministry figures from the prior year show that 4,218 licenses were issued covering more than 3.5 million products during the 95th National Day season. The current campaign’s expansion to over 12 million discounted items marks a notable rise in scale as authorities build on previous initiatives. The offers align with the ongoing 2026 sales season, which runs electronically from early August through the end of October.
Saudi Central Bank data places points-of-sale spending during the National Day week at 12.77 billion riyals in 2025, with notable increases in categories such as restaurants, furniture, apparel and other goods. The growth reflected heightened consumer activity tied to the celebrations, which this year fall on September 23 under the theme highlighting national heritage. Such discount drives typically contribute to elevated transaction volumes in the lead-up to the holiday.
The ministry has maintained an electronic platform for businesses to apply for discount licenses, streamlining the approval process while preserving annual allocation rules in many cases. Establishments participating in the National Day promotions must still display clear pricing information both before and after discounts. Officials have reminded retailers to adhere strictly to approved terms to avoid regulatory action.
