Any business or customer that misuses the €100 government-issued consumer vouchers can be fined €500, according to a legal notice.

Businesses found to be breaking the rules will also not get paid pending an investigation, the notice says.

All residents aged 16 and over should receive a set of vouchers - of which €60 can be used in restaurants and tourist establishments, €40 in retail and beauty outlets. 

A total of 25,000 businesses are eligible to receive the vouchers. 

These businesses have to keep records of the redeemed vouchers which they have to retain for a year from the end of the voucher scheme.

The fine is also applicable to voucher recipients caught out selling their vouchers. However, one is free to give away one's vouchers.

The legal notice says that the minister or authorised entities can carry out an audit of eligible establishments to ensure that the regulations in place are being followed.

Economy Minister Silvio Schembri said recently that over €1.4 million in government vouchers were used in the first week since the new scheme became operational.

A total of €765,485 in red vouchers, and €665,370 in blue vouchers, were spent.

He said that around 117,485 people downloaded their vouchers digitally and were able to begin using them on June 7. 

As of last week, some 80,000 people had already received their physical vouchers by mail with the remaining 328,251 being sent shortly.

Vouchers expire on September 15.