Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Minister of Commerce and Investment Dr. Majid Bin Abdullah Al-Qassabi has honored the ministry›s field inspectors and supervisors for their efforts in protecting consumers at a special function in Riyadh. Also honored were a number of citizens who reported various commercial violations to the ministry in order to preserve the consumers’ rights.

Al-Qassabi expressed his appreciation to the achievements of the ministry›s field inspectors and supervisors in the past while stressing the importance of exerting more efforts in applying the regulations and taking necessary legal measures against those involved in fraud, commercial concealment, forgery and other misdeeds in the future.

The minister also stressed the importance of strengthening and enhancing the partnership with the private sector for having integrated efforts. He pointed out that the citizen and the private sector are partners with government bodies in the control job and consumer protection efforts.

During the honoring ceremony, the ministry announced the launch of the initiative of «Consumer’s Partners», which aims to enhance and promote the activities of consumer protection at commercial establishments.

Within the framework of the National Transformation Program 2020 and the Partnership Programs with the private sector,

the ministry has started working with a group of major national companies through joint programs and plans for consumer protection, as well as for raising the quality of services provided to consumers.

The initiative will launch programs to raise awareness and increase the consumer’s satisfaction related to local markets and products, besides stimulating the private sector enterprises to play a greater role in handling and addressing consumer complaints by trying to interact and solve any problems or complaints in record time.

The ministry has revealed that the field inspection and control efforts, during the first nine months of 2018, contributed to the seizure of more than 34 million goods, valued at SR467 million.

The inspection and control teams carried out 186,000 inspection tours to commercial establishments and detected 1,371 commercial fraud cases, which were referred to the Public Prosecutor›s Office for taking the necessary legal action. The ministry›s Consumer Call Center 1900 received more than 1 million inquiries, reports or complaints during the period.

Al-Qassabi honored 83 male and female inspectors from different regions of the Kingdom, as well as some citizens, who informed about commercial violations in public interest.

During the ceremony, the ministry reviewed its most prominent achievements while appreciating and praising the efforts of the inspectors and supervisors and their vital role in detecting and controlling cases of commercial fraud, cover-up and counterfeiting.

It praised the efforts of the inspectors in preventing the marketing and distribution of millions of tainted, expired and counterfeit goods and products to the markets, as well as their role in the implementation of regulations, which enhance and promote consumer protection.

In conjunction with World Consumer Protection Day in March, the ministry honored 100 informers of both genders, having obtained the highest points and ranks in the application of a commercial violation report.

The ministry also gave financial rewards to a number of citizens during the current year, following the issuance of judicial rulings related to Anti-Commercial Fraud Law. Article 11 of this law provides that anyone reporting a commercial fraud case shall be granted 25 percent of the fine after the issuance of a judgment and the collection of such fine.