Dubai: While weighing scales used by the jewellery trade are being standardised across Abu Dhabi, Dubai will retain the stringent regime of surprise and periodic inspections of outlets to ensure shoppers are getting a fair deal.
This way, Dubai's authorities can have a better assurance that jewellers are complying with caratage and weights in the most transparent manner possible. What tilts the scale this way as far as Dubai is concerned is the presence of anywhere up to 600 jewellery outlets in the emirate compared with the under 200 in Abu Dhabi.
"Even yesterday there was a check at one of our outlets in Dubai and four pieces were taken for inspection," said a jeweller.
"This keeps retailers perpetually on their toes and works as the best check and balance on the trade."
Pilot programme
Last week Abu Dhabi's Quality and Conformity Council came out with calibration standards that weighing scales used by the jewellery and Arabic perfume retailers need to conform to. It followed an extensive pilot programme involving more than 60 jewellers in the city conducted during February, and which found that many of their weighing scales were actually not in compliance.
A spokesperson with QCC confirmed that the new measures were to bring about quality and conformity rather than as a reaction to any perceived risks consumers were facing. "The legal metrology market inspections will ensure accurate weights and measurements are used in the marketplace," the spokesperson added.
In the future, the QCC's mandate will be widened to create benchmarks for the monitoring of pre-packaged goods as well as of recalled products to ensure these are not traded again in the market.
"Jewellers will have to come up with regular internal self-checks to ensure their weighing machines are calibrating at all times," said Karim Merchant, CEO and managing director of Pure Gold Jewellers, on the new requirements in Abu Dhabi.
"Besides this there should be regular and quality maintenance of weighing scales to ensure they are kept in a stable environment, i.e., not in places where there is direct air flow towards the machine.
"Before the use of any new scale or after maintenance of any existing scale, the QCC must be informed and a new verification conducted before use. Metrological marks must be kept in good condition and QCC should be notified if there is any doubt of the scale's function. And they should be informed a month before the expiration date of the verification."
What the QCC initiative brings about is a shift from a near exclusive focus on the caratage as the determining factor in upholding customer rights. "I am happy to see that standardisation in weight control will also be in place soon, this clearly goes to show the proactive approach of the government to protect the consumer and establish transparent — yet efficient — trade practices in place," said Merchant.
Abu Dhabi's Quality and Conformity Council (QCC) is to set up a Metrology Centre for the calibration of scientific and industrial equipment. To this end, it is working with regulators and the wider industry to establish a top-of-the-line testing laboratory in Abu Dhabi.
Both the Metrology Centre and the lab will be made available to all QCC inspectors and regulators to carry out tests.
On a parallel track, the QCC is authoring a consumer safety programme that will include mandatory safety markings and controls on the sale of high-risk products, as well as a new product recall system for Abu Dhabi.
A third initiative from the QCC stable is to deliver conformity schemes, which would create industry-specific standards. An example of this could involve working with Abu Dhabi regulators to set and verify standards for biodegradable plastic.
