Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — Many people have expressed concern over the increase of products near expiry in shops and supermarkets. Owners try to dispose of large quantities of such items, especially during the seasons of increased demand like Ramadan and Haj and during the first weeks of school. Concerns have increased after the recent disclosure that a leading dairy products company forged labels to extend the validity period of their products. The Ministry of Commerce said any shop that sells expired products will be closed, and its owner referred to the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution (BIP). A fine is also imposed on the owner, and the products are confiscated and destroyed. The owner also signs a pledge not to repeat the offense. A consumer said he avoids supermarkets that announce great price reductions to dispose of their products, and avoids those products for the safety of his family, even if the expiry date is a month away. He said consumers demand the authorities fine these stores, whose primary goal is monetary gains with little regard for public health. A storeowner said some traders purchase large quantities of food that sometimes exceeds demand. To avoid loss through the expiry of the products, they offer the products at reduced prices to attract large numbers of consumers. Manal Al-Shareef, a member of the Jeddah Consumer Protection Association, said some consumers do not read the dates on the product labels, and that the role of the association is educating the consumers by spreading awareness. She added: “We are not concerned with foodstuffs only, but all consumables, as the association also educates the consumer on apparels. Some small shops sell clothes that cause allergies and other diseases." Consumers, she added, should ask for an invoice even for small purchases, so they may return the product in case of poisoning or on discovering that the product has expired. She welcomed the decision of the Ministry of Commerce that bans shops from printing phrases like “No return or exchange" in purchase receipts. A source in the Ministry of Commerce said there are 300 market supervisors working throughout the day and in cooperation with the municipalities. All violations are recorded and submitted to the ministry for further action. He said the violating shops are closed down and are referred to the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution in addition to other measures.
