Wednesday 08 / May / 2024
Muscat: Ahead of Eid Al Fitr, Consumer Protection Authority (CPA) is intensifying its inspection campaigns on markets in various governorates of the Sultanate of Oman to ensure the availability of various goods and supplies that consumers need.
"The Consumer Protection Authority, represented by its directorates and departments in the various governorates of the Sultanate of Oman, continues to intensify its inspection campaigns on various markets and commercial centres, in conjunction with the active commercial movement in the markets with the approach of Eid Al Fitr," CPA said in a statement.
Hamoud bin Said Al Jabri, Director General of Consumer Services and Market Control, said: "The authority is working according to a well-studied plan to follow up and monitor the markets and control violators in various sectors of direct interest to the consumer, given what is witnessing this period of increasing consumer demand for shops and commercial centres to purchase various Eid requirements such as clothes, goods, luxuries and others.Therefore, the authority, its various directorates and departments, have formed a field work programme for the inspection teams so that they work according to the shift system, which is necessary to ensure the continuity of monitoring the markets and thus ensure that there are no abuses that may harm consumers or prejudice any of their rights."
Al Jabri confirmed that the teams include a number of judicial control officers and shop inspectors to ensure the availability of various goods and supplies that consumers need and the credibility of the offers and discounts.
"The teams are also working to ensure that suppliers are keen to comply with all consumer protection laws, decisions and legislation, and to ensure that the zero tax label is applied to goods that are not covered by the tax. During the continuous inspection campaigns, sheep pens, meat stores and stores selling vegetables and fruits are monitored in terms of prices and quality of supply is checked, " Al Jabri added.
Al Jabri stressed that the authority is ready to deal with consumer reports of any violations that they may monitor in the market, and therefore they only have to report it via hotline and the authority’s accounts on social networks.
The Director General of Consumer Services and Market Control urged consumers to prepare a list of the purchases they would like to purchase before heading to the markets . He also stressed the importance of suppliers' cooperation by maintaining the prices of goods and services, not exercising any kind of exploitation on consumers, and assuming their responsibilities during the implementation of value-added tax.
