Saudi Arabia: 2m substandard products detected in Q1

Cairo: Saudi commerce authorities have disclosed the detection of 2 million substandard products in the first quarter of this year.

In a quarterly report, the Ministry of Commerce said its inspectors conducted more than 132,000 visits across all regions of the kingdom, covering various economic sectors, during the first three months of the year.

The inspections included 48,000 visits in the cities of Mecca and Medina, both home to Islam’s holiest mosques.

The inspection tours intensified during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan when the Umrah or minor pilgrimage usually peaks. The lunar month ended this year on March 29 in the kingdom.

During the cited period, more than 158,000 commercial complaints were addressed, and 72 cases were referred to the public prosecution.

The report highlighted the efforts of the affiliated National Programme to Combat Commercial Cover-Up, noting that a review committee approved imposing fines of more than SR2 million on violating businesses.

Violation of the anti-commercial cover-up law in Saudi Arabia can result in up to five years of imprisonment, fines up to SR5 million, and the confiscation of illicit funds after a final court ruling.

In 2019, Saudi Arabia established the National Programme to Combat Commercial Cover-Up, with support from various state institutions, including the ministries of human resources and municipalities.

Authorities recently launched an electronic service allowing commercial institutions to report commercial cover-ups by their counterparts, aiming to improve market regulation and reduce illegal activities.

Previously, reporting on commercial cover-up cases was limited to individuals and consumers.