IN recent weeks, inspection teams from the Ministry of Commerce and Investment seized more than 7 million fake products that were not good for human use. These products were on its way to the market at a time when the consumers are preparing to welcome the holy month of Ramadan. They contained food products, cleaning products, car tires and imitation brands. They were being distributed to markets all over the Kingdom. Can you imagine the effects of 7 million fake products flooding the local market? These were only a few items. What about the food we consume and the water we drink? We are in a situation where we cannot differentiate between what is good for use and what is not. This is a major problem that needs to be fixed through continuous monitoring. Yes, our market is wide open and products from all over the world are being sold even in the smallest of shops in our country. The profit generated from our market is high, which is attractive for anyone who wants to sell his products. That of course will attract cheaters and con men, whether in the form of individuals or companies. There are many benefits that can be gained from opening the market, but it needs strict monitoring to prevent counterfeit products from reaching consumers. Though many years have passed, we do not know how these counterfeit products started infesting in our market. International markets are taking extreme measures to ensure quality of products displayed. Measures are taken in terms of authenticating the advertisement of the product with the product itself. Many countries apply strict measures to ensure manufacturers comply with what is written on product labels. However, some of the products seen in our market lack product labels. It is obvious that the amount of counterfeit products in our market is huge and there are not enough numbers of inspectors to monitor them. This is why so many violations take place, and the effects of these violations are fatal if it involves products related to food and drink.
