A new Ministry of Business order that requires all merchants to produce receipts for customers in Arabic (as well as English) is proving to be a headache for baqalas and other small businesses, the Peninsula reports. 

The order, which was issued last month, will require stores to purchase new equipment and software to produce bilingual receipts that “specify the name of the outlet, its address, date of bill, item/s or services being sold or offered, their type and quantity or duration (in the case of a service) in Arabic,” the newspaper states.

Additionally, stores without employees who know Arabic will have to make new hires to field questions from Arabic-speaking customers.

How strictly this new order will be enforced, however, remains to be seen.

Earlier this year, the Emir signed into law new marketing regulations that mandate Arabic be the primary language on a billboard. However, English-language billboards continue to be seen across Doha.

Thoughts?

Credit: Photo by Omar Chatriwala