Shop fined Dh5,000 as barber wants Dh5 tip

The owner of a barbershop has been fined Dh5,000 after one of his staff members demanded a Dh5 tip from a customer, according to an official source with Ministry of Economy office in Ras Al Khaimah.

Investigations revealed that a barber at the shop forced an Emirati customer to pay him a Dh5 tip. “The customer had paid the money for shaving his beard as per the list of fixed prices clearly displayed at the shop. But his barber insisted on collecting Dh5 extra as baksheesh.”

The official source, who wished to remain anonymous, said the customer lodged a complaint with the Consumer Protection Department at the ministry’s office in RAK. “We immediately assigned an inspector to visit the shop and interrogate its owner and the barber concerned.”

In his complaint, the 22-year-old complainant, a university law student, said when he asked about the extra money demanded, he was told that it was a tip. Barbershops take advantage of the rush of customers and force them to pay tips ranging from Dh5 to Dh10.

The complainant said: “I refused to pay the extra money and approached the Ministry of Economy department here to protect consumers’ rights.”

The Consumer Protection Department held the owner of the barbershop responsible for the violation which would not have happened without his consent, and ordered him to pay a hefty fine of Dh5,000. “He was also forced to sign a declaration to never repeat the offence. If he does, his shop will be shut down, and his licence will be cancelled.”

ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com