A senior official in the Public Authority for Consumer Protection (PACP) has warned consumers about counterfeit goods finding their way into Oman’s market, emphasising that the authority is continuously taking action against their promoters.
Hamoud bin Said al Jabri, director general, PACP, said online shoppers especially face the risk of landing duplicates and should be careful which website they order from. He said the issue of websites selling fake products is a big concern for PACP. Fake or inferior quality items are available across a range of products including cosmetics, body creams, shampoos, mobile phones, automobile spare parts, sunglasses, tableware etc.
“Consumers who plan to buy goods online should be careful and should only deal with websites known for their reliability,” he cautioned. ”PACP receives many complaints and its teams regularly inspect the local market. Our campaigns and raids have resulted in controlling counterfeit goods which are harmful for health.”
Many goods and products have been withdrawn following PACP’s intervention, he said. As a member of many global treaties, Oman is capable of stopping fake goods reaching its shores, he said. People prefer fake goods as they are cheap. He, however, noted that fake goods are a global phenomenon to which the sultanate is not an exception.
He also spoke about how several companies have been booked for repackaging and selling expired products as new. Jabri said, ”It has become difficult to tell a fake product from an original. In some cases, the duplicates are better packaged than the original.” To raise consumer awareness, the PACP regularly holds exhibitions on its premises. More than 4,693 people visited them in 2015. It will return with its road show at the Salalah Festival. The road show will also travel across governorates for PACP’s message to reach out to maximum people.
Source: MuscatDaily