The Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) has launched a surprise inspection campaign targeting factories in the Industrial Area specialising in the production of sponges and mattresses.
The initiative resulted in the imposition of two fines for the use of raw sponges that did not conform to the specifications and health requirements, and which was not declared in the data card in violation of Article 7 of Law No 8 of 2008 on consumer protection, the MEC said in a press statement on Wednesday.
Article 7 compels suppliers to clearly display on the product’s package or label the type and nature of the item as well as other relevant data in line with the law’s implementing regulations. If the use of the product carries a risk, it is necessary to alert the user in a clear manner.
The law also prohibits the display of fraudulent descriptions, advertisements and misleading statements.
The aim of the campaign is to monitor the compliance of factories with the sanitary conditions of raw materials during the manufacturing process, to ensure that no violations of Law No 8 of 2008 on consumer protection are committed, and that the manufacturing process is carried out according to prescribed standard specifications, the statement explains.
The regular and intensive inspection campaign comes within the framework of the ministry’s efforts to monitor markets and commercial activities across Qatar in order to crack down on commercial fraud and uncover violations to protect consumers’ rights.
Violations of Law No 8 of 2008 on consumer protection can result in administrative closure and financial penalties ranging from QR3,000 to QR1mn, according to the MEC.
The ministry has stressed it will not tolerate any violations of the consumer protection law or its regulations and will intensify its inspection campaigns to crack down on such practices. It will refer those who violate laws and ministerial decrees to the competent authorities, who will, in turn, take appropriate action against the perpetrators in order to protect consumer rights.
The MEC has urged all consumers to report violations or submit complaints and suggestions through the call centre: 16001, email: [email protected], Twitter: MEC_QATAR, Instagram: MEC_QATAR and the applications of the ministry on smartphones available on iPhone and Android devices: MEC_QATAR
