Eid Al Fitr: Sharjah steps up inspections of all markets

Sharjah: Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD) has announced its full readiness for Eid Al Fitr as it conducts intensive inspection campaigns at markets and shops.

As part of preparations for the festival, which will fall on Friday or Saturday, all food establishments, retailers, salons, gold sellers, and many others are being checked.

Salim Al Suwaidi, Deputy Director of Commercial Control and Protection Department at SEDD, said the Department’s officials have intensified their field visits and inspection campaigns in Sharjah’s markets. This was done to ensure the importance of placing a list of the prices to prevent any abuses in the selling process.

Al Suwaidi added that the Department intensified its efforts through inspection campaigns at barbershops and salons, stressing that these tours will continue during the three days of Eid in order to ensure that they apply all approved standards.

He pointed that the Department’s role is not limited to protecting consumers and investors only, but goes beyond that to familiarise merchants with the systems and procedures to avoid disputes or complaints against them.

Consumer complaints

Ali Fadil, Head of Commercial Protection Section, SEDD, said the Department deals with many different cases of consumer complaints, and each of them is dealt with in cooperation with all concerned parties to reach a solution that satisfies everyone and preserves their rights.

Fadil added that the Department handled 3,169 complaints received during the first quarter of 2023. Consumer protection complaints formed the largest share with 2,805 grievances, followed by 210 service agent complaints, and then 154 commercial fraud complaints.

Rashid Al Hosani, Deputy Head of Commercial Control Section, said the total number of inspection campaigns carried out by the Department in the emirate’s markets during the first quarter of this year amounted to 56,643 - 36 per cent rise compared to the same period last year.

He added that the Department organised a campaign in gold stores to ensure the accuracy of the scales used and ensure their conformity with the specifications and standards approved in the country. The total number of commercial scales and gold scales that have been calibrated reached 1,268, and the percentage of compatible scales and conforming to the standards reached 98 per cent.

SEDD noted the vital role of consumers in helping to control any cases of commercial fraud by reporting any violations through the SEDD call centre 800 80000 or by visiting the department’s website.