RIYADH — The Consumer Protection Association (CPA) plans to establish a legal department to defend cases of consumers at courts free of charge, said its Chairman, Dr. Sulaiman Al-Samahi. "We have interviewed lawyers before Eid Al-Adha for the purpose," he said. Speaking about joint contract for kitchens, he said "Preparation of these contracts is nearing end. Legal experts have studied them and found they are capable of protecting consumer rights." Al-Samahi described the association as a neutral organization, adding that it would not cooperate with business establishments that violate consumer rights. "We are now in the process of setting up a toll-free number to help people lodge their complaints 24/7." The association would conduct a study to make sure that the complaints were genuine before contacting traders or commercial establishments to settle the issue amicably. "If the defendant does not respond positively, we'll approach either the court or the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to take punitive action," he said. Referring to the demand of dairy companies not to put production date on its products and print only expiry date, Al-Samahi said his organization would not allow dairy firms to engage in fraudulent practices like adding powder to natural milk. "We have received an invitation from the National Committee for Dairy Products at the Council of Saudi Chambers to visit their production plants to see what materials they add to their products." Al-Samahi added: "We don't make any statement without checking dairy products. The milk firm said they prefer people to use their products the same day or within two days." The association plays an important role in strengthening the national economy by considering the difficulties of investors. He estimated the amount of returned dairy products at 150 million liters worth SR500 million annually. "Consumer should be aware of this huge loss before making complaints. Such losses will have a negative impact on the economy," he explained. He said the association was playing a supplementary role in protecting consumers along with the Commerce Ministry, Customs, Saudi Standards Organization and Saudi Food and Drug Authority. "We also consult other government departments to carry out our mission effectively."
