- Since July 2024, shops in Oman no longer need prior permission to run discounts, but they must notify the Consumer Protection Authority (CPA).
- The announced limits: up to 30% off, up to 3 consecutive days a week, up to 3 promotions a month.
- A promotional price must never be higher than the price before the promotion. Fake “was” prices are a legal risk, not just an ethical one.
- Creators who promote other businesses need a free MoCIIP licence, and from July 2026, food promotions by creators need prior approval.
Please read this first. This guide summarises rules as they were publicly announced, with dates and sources. It is not legal advice. Promotion rules in Oman have changed several times in recent years, and an official permit service is still listed on the government portal. Before a large campaign, confirm the current requirements with the Consumer Protection Authority or the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion (MoCIIP).
Most marketing teams in Oman learn promotion rules the hard way: a WhatsApp message from a friend in another company, a screenshot from a news article, or a call from an inspector. Meanwhile the rules themselves have moved from strict prior permits, to a pause during the pandemic, to today’s lighter notification system. Here is how it fits together.
01How the rules changed
Ministerial decisions 239/2013 and 129/2015 set the framework for promotional offers and discounted sales, including a ban on promotions and discounts for tobacco products.1
Decision 184/2020 tightened conditions. Among them: prices under a promotion must not exceed the prices before the promotion began.2
Prior permission from the authorities was required for sales and promotional offers, with a copy of the approval sent to the CPA.3
MoCIIP, with the CPA, announced that businesses no longer need the ministry’s prior permission. Instead, they must notify the CPA before running discounts or promotional offers, within set limits.4
02The limits that apply
The July 2024 announcement set three limits for discounts and promotional offers:4
In practice, that shapes how you plan. A “month-long sale” at 50% off, common in other markets, does not fit these limits. What does fit is a rhythm of short, sharp windows: a Thursday-to-Saturday weekend offer, repeated up to three times a month, each at no more than 30% off.
Think in weekends, not months
Three-day windows suit Oman’s Friday–Saturday weekend. Build a calendar of short bursts instead of one long discount.
Tell the CPA before you start
At the time of the announcement, notifications were sent by email to the CPA. Keep a copy with the dates, products and discount levels.
Add value instead of depth
When 30% is the ceiling, bundles, free delivery, gifts with purchase and loyalty points become the creative tools. See pricing psychology.
Check the margin first
Even 30% off can wipe out profit on low-margin products. Run the discount profit test before you commit.
03Honest prices
The single most important rule is the simplest: a promotional price, including the price of goods tied to raffle coupons, must not be higher than the price at which the product was sold before the promotion.2 Raising prices the week before a sale so the “discount” looks bigger is exactly what the rule targets.
Oman’s Consumer Protection Law (Royal Decree 66/2014) also requires clear price display and prohibits misleading information.5 For marketers, that means:
- Show the real previous price and the real promotional price, with dates.
- State exclusions clearly, in Arabic and English, on the ad and at the point of sale.
- Make sure the price in the ad, on the website and at the till is the same. See why “price in DM” costs you customers.
- Keep records: price history, the notification and the campaign creative.
04Creators and food
Two rules matter whenever your promotion runs through influencers or content creators:
Creator advertising licence
Under Ministerial Resolution 619/2022, creators who advertise other companies’ products need a MoCIIP licence, issued through the Invest Easy portal with no fee. Businesses promoting their own products do not need one.6
Food promotions need approval
The Food Safety and Quality Centre has said creators must get prior approval before promoting any food product on social media, citing the Food Safety Law and Ministerial Resolution 69/2024.7
Brands are expected to check that the creators they pay are licensed. Ask for the licence before you sign a brief. The influencer marketing guide covers briefs, pricing and measurement.
05National discount campaigns
Alongside individual promotions, MoCIIP now runs national campaigns that invite businesses to take part. In 2026 these included:
| Campaign | Dates | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Oman Celebrates (3rd edition) | January – February 2026 | Winter national discounts campaign |
| Live the Vibe | 1 Jul – 31 Aug 2026 | Summer offers to support retail activity |
| Purple Saturday | 23 Jul – 1 Aug 2026 | Offers supporting persons with disabilities |
Sources: Oman News Agency, Muscat Daily and Oman Observer reports on each campaign.8
National campaigns bring free publicity and shoppers already in a buying mood. If you take part, follow the campaign’s published terms and plan your creative around its dates. For the full year, see The Oman Marketing Year 2027.
Is your next promotion ready?
Enter your plan. The checker compares it with the limits announced in 2024 and flags what to fix before launch.
Runs in your browser; nothing is saved. A planning aid based on publicly announced rules, not legal advice.
Common questions
Do I need a permit to run a sale in Oman?
Since July 2024, MoCIIP has said businesses no longer need its prior permission to run discounts and promotional offers, but they must notify the Consumer Protection Authority beforehand. A permit service is still listed on the government portal, so confirm current requirements for raffles, coupons and large campaigns.
What is the maximum discount allowed in Oman?
The July 2024 announcement set a maximum discount of 30%, with promotions running no more than three consecutive days a week and no more than three times a month.
Can I raise prices before a sale?
No. Promotional prices must not be higher than the prices before the promotion began. Inflating the previous price to make a discount look bigger is a breach of the rules.
Do influencers in Oman need a licence?
Yes. Creators who advertise other companies’ products need a MoCIIP licence, issued through the Invest Easy portal without a fee. Since July 2026, promoting food products also requires prior approval from the Food Safety and Quality Centre.
Method & sources
Checked October 15, 2026. Rules are summarised from official texts and news reports of official announcements, with dates. Always confirm with the CPA or MoCIIP before launching a campaign.
- Tobacco control law database: Oman Ministerial Decisions 239/2013 (promotional offers) and 129/2015 (discounted sales). tobaccocontrollaws.org
- Times of Oman, “Oman amends rules for promotional campaigns” (Decision 184/2020). timesofoman.com
- Oman Observer, “Prior permission must for sales promotions”, 2022. omanobserver.om
- Times of Oman, “No permission required to run offers and promotions in Oman”, 2 July 2024, and Oman Observer, “No prior permission required to run promotions, discounts: MoCIIP”. timesofoman.com · omanobserver.om
- Royal Decree 66/2014 promulgating the Consumer Protection Law. oman.om (PDF) · Government portal service: permit for promotional offers
- Decree.om, “New MOCIIP decision requires social media influencers to be licensed” (Resolution 619/2022), and Times of Oman, “No licence fees required for social media influencers, companies”. decree.om · timesofoman.com
- The Arabian Stories, “Content creators, social media influencers in Oman must get prior approval to promote food products”, July 2026. thearabianstories.com
- Oman News Agency, “Third National Campaign of Discounts, Promotional Offers to Begin on 7 January”; Muscat Daily, “MoCIIP launches national discounts campaign to boost retail activity”, 1 July 2026; Muscat Daily, “MoCIIP launches discounts campaign to support persons with disabilities”, 11 July 2026. omannews.gov.om · muscatdaily.com · muscatdaily.com