A tissue factory in Riyadh was caught manipulating the count – Ministry of Commerce
As part of ongoing efforts to protect consumer rights and ensure the quality of national products, joint inspection teams consisting of representatives from the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources were able to seize a violating factory in the Riyadh region, which was involved in manipulating the number of paper tissues inside the packages, in clear violation of approved specifications and standards.
Details of the seizure and laboratory results
This significant operation took place during an inspection tour aimed at verifying the factories' compliance with production lines and technical standards. Field teams randomly collected samples from the production lines within the factory and immediately sent them to the specialized laboratories of the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO).
Technical reports issued by the laboratories revealed that the samples taken did not match the commercial data printed on the packaging. The actual number of tissues was found to be less than the number advertised to the consumer, constituting a form of commercial fraud and misleading the buyer. Consequently, the factory managers were summoned to complete the necessary legal procedures in preparation for imposing deterrent penalties in accordance with the Anti-Commercial Fraud Law.
Legal context: Penalties for commercial fraud in Saudi Arabia
This incident comes amid Saudi Arabia's tightening of its oversight of markets and factories. The Kingdom's anti-commercial fraud law stipulates strict penalties aimed at deterring those who manipulate the system, including fines of up to one million riyals, imprisonment for up to three years, or both, in addition to publishing the names of violators in local newspapers at their own expense, closing the offending establishment, and confiscating the counterfeit products.
The Ministry of Commerce periodically conducts intensive inspection tours in all regions of the Kingdom to ensure the legality of the work of commercial and industrial establishments and the absence of fraudulent practices or deception against consumers.
The importance of adhering to specifications and its economic impact
The importance of these seizures extends beyond protecting the individual consumer; it also safeguards the national economy and enhances the reputation of Saudi industry. Adherence to specifications and standards strengthens consumer confidence in the "Made in Saudi Arabia" label and ensures fair competition among compliant producers. Manipulating quantities or weights gives violators an unfair competitive advantage that negatively impacts factories that adhere to the standards.
The relevant authorities (Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Industry, and Standards Authority) affirm their determination to continue their collaborative efforts to purify the market from any misleading practices, calling on all consumers to report any observations or complaints through the "Commercial Report" application or the unified call center 1900, as they are the primary partner in the regulatory process.
