Saudi Arabia Requires Delivery Firms to Allow Package Inspections

The Ministry of Commerce has directed private-sector shipping and delivery companies in Saudi Arabia to allow customers to open and inspect packages before completing delivery or providing shipment verification codes.

According to the ministry, the measure is intended to strengthen consumer protection, improve transparency, and standardise delivery procedures during last-mile handovers.

Under the directive, consumers have the right to refuse delivery if products are defective, damaged, incomplete, or different from what was purchased.

The ministry stated that shipping companies have been formally notified that customers must be permitted to inspect shipments before verification procedures are completed.

The decision follows growing consumer complaints related to damaged deliveries, missing items, and products that do not match orders, alongside disputes over responsibility for product condition at the time of delivery.

The measure comes as Saudi Arabia’s e-commerce sector continues expanding.

Active commercial registrations in the sector increased by 9% during the first quarter of the year, surpassing 45,600 registrations compared with 41,800 during the same period in 2025.

According to the figures, Riyadh recorded the highest number of registrations with more than 20,000, followed by Makkah Province with 11,500 and the Eastern Province with approximately 6,800.