Kuwait issues new rules for e-delivery platforms

13/07/2026

KUWAIT CITY, July 13: The official gazette “Kuwait Al-Youm” published on Sunday Decision No. 109/2026 issued by the Minister of Commerce and Industry Osama Boodai, regarding the issuance of regulations governing the sector of intermediary electronic platforms and applications for displaying, ordering, and delivering products to consumers. The regulations introduce new controls aimed at regulating electronic platform activities and adjusting the status of existing companies and contracts.

The decision states the following:

Article 1 - The provisions of the regulations governing the activities of intermediary electronic platforms and applications for displaying, ordering, and delivering products to consumers, attached to this decision, shall be implemented.

Article 2 - Every company licensed to launch and operate an intermediary electronic platform for displaying, ordering, and delivering products to consumers must adjust its status in accordance with the provisions of the regulations attached to this decision. The licensed activity shall be amended to “Management of Delivery Services via Electronic Platforms” under the approved international classification No. 532013, no later than September 1, 2026.

Article 3 - Every contract concluded between the service provider and the customer from the date of issuance of this decision shall be subject to the provisions of the regulations attached to this decision. For existing contracts concluded before the date of this decision, the parties must amend and align their contracts with the provisions of the attached regulations before September 1, 2026. Existing contracts in which the agreed commission does not exceed the maximum limit stipulated in Article 7 of the attached regulations shall be exempt from the preceding requirement and shall continue to have full legal effect according to their contractual terms until the date of expiry.

Article 4 - The service provider licensed by the ministry shall comply with the guidelines attached to this decision concerning the consumer order delivery services sector through smart platforms and applications, as approved by the Competition Protection Authority under Decision No. 1/2026 referred to above. These guidelines shall be considered an integral part of this decision with regard to competition controls and prohibited practices, without prejudice to the service provider’s obligation to comply with the maximum commission and delivery fees stipulated in the regulations attached to this decision.

Article 5 - Any person who violates the provisions of the articles contained in this decision shall be subject to the penalties and procedures stipulated in Article 15 of the regulations attached to this decision.

Article 6 - Ministerial Decision No. 10/2026 concerning the issuance of regulations governing restaurant and readymade food delivery orders is hereby repealed. Any decision or provision that conflicts with the provisions of this decision and its attached regulations shall also be repealed.

Article 7 - The competent authorities, each within their respective jurisdictions, shall implement this decision, which shall be published in the official gazette and shall enter into force from the date of its issuance.