MCI Aims to Stop Fraud Attempts and Manipulation in the Steel Markets, and thus preserving the Consumers Rights
MCI intensified its inspection rounds on steel markets, where 406 inspection tours had been carried out in all regions of the Kingdom, resulted in 155 violations against commercial institutions, not complying with the Saudi standard specifications, price tag and country of origin. Rules & Regulations require all producers and distributors to print the trademark of the original manufacturer on all the items, besides putting a label describing all data and the price of the item before it is being offered for sale in the market.
Meanwhile, the Ministry had shut down earlier two steel plants in the Industrial City 2, south of Riyadh, following non-compliance with the Saudi Standard Specifications, along with the lack of price tag and specification label.
More than 4 thousand tons of steel had been confiscated, while those responsible were summoned for investigation and imposing the legal penalties against them.
This comes within the Ministry's keenness and concern to preserve the rights of consumers and to protect them from any harmful practices, as well as contribute in organizing the local market to ensure fair competition among the commercial institutions, while preserving the rights of consumers.
The campaign, carried out by the Ministry during the last two weeks on outlets of rebar and steel sheet, aims to follow up the commitment of producers and outlets to the Saudi standard requirements for steel, besides detecting and seizing any products in violation.
MCI emphasizes that it is important for the consumer to get an invoice containing the steel trade data that match the data label.
MCI inspection rounds resulted in editing violations and imposing instant fines against (84) stores and warehouses, besides referring large quantities of samples to laboratories, to check their conformity with the Saudi standard Specifications. Riyadh has witnessed the largest proportion of violations (50 violations), and the highest rate of inspection rounds (total of 99 inspection tours).
MCI would like to emphasize that it will continue its inspection rounds on warehouses, factories and outlets of selling rebar and steel sheet, to verify their compliance with the trade data requirements.
MCI stresses that it will not tolerate in imposing legal penalties on violators, not committed to the instructions issued in that regard.
MCI would like all consumers to report their complaints and observations to the Notification Center in the Ministry on 1900.