Kuwait has taken a major step to regulate its fast-growing food delivery market by freezing platform fees and commissions for a period of three years. The decision, announced by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, marks one of the most comprehensive digital economy reforms in the Gulf region and aims to protect both restaurants and consumers from opaque pricing and unfair market tactics.
The new regulation, issued through Ministerial Resolution No. 10/2026, requires food delivery platforms to fix their fees and commission structures for the next three years. Platforms must submit their 2026 fee schedules to the ministry within one month of the regulation’s issuance, and they cannot collect any charges outside the approved framework.
Authorities say the move follows extensive monitoring and economic analysis that revealed monopolistic practices and unfair tactics by some delivery platforms. These included unjustified increases in commission rates, forced exclusivity agreements, lack of transparency in pricing, and discriminatory digital mechanisms that compromised fair visibility for restaurant partners.
Under the reform, delivery companies must adopt a unified annual service framework approved by the ministry. This framework will set maximum limits on fees, detail calculation methods, and outline all charges clearly. Collection of any fees or offering of discounts outside the approved plan is strictly prohibited, and parallel side agreements will be nullified.
The regulations also ban the use of discriminatory algorithms and unequal preferential treatment among customers within the same category. Platforms must document all fees in formal contracts and refrain from changing prices before the year ends. Any fees not explicitly listed will be considered legally invalid.
Another significant aspect of the reform is that restaurants and food outlets will have the right to access their operational data free of charge, giving them greater control and transparency in their dealings with delivery services. They also retain the freedom to contract with multiple platforms simultaneously, reducing dependency on a single app or service.
Consumer protections are central to the new rules. Platforms must ensure full price transparency before order completion, ban hidden charges, and provide unified pricing so customers never pay more than the in-store rates. The framework also defines clear mechanisms for complaints, refunds, and cancellations, with well-defined responsibilities for each party involved in a transaction.
Officials describe the decision as the first legally binding Gulf regulation of its kind, positioning Kuwait as a regional leader in regulating digital marketplaces such as food delivery apps. Penalties for non-compliance include warnings, closure orders, and even license revocation.
The ministry says the reforms will not only protect consumers and small businesses but also enhance investment attractiveness, strengthen market confidence, and support long-term sustainability for both platforms and partners
