By Fahad Al Ghadani — MUSCAT: March 12 - The Public Authority for Consumer Protection (PACP) has issued executive regulations that further strengthen consumer protection in the Sultanate. The new guidelines, coming just over two years since the promulgation by Royal Decree of the Consumer Protection Law, will come into force today (March 13). The new regulations seek to address all the shortcomings in the Consumer Protection Law. For example, it deems a product as adulterated if it contains foreign substances that may change its composition and affect its durability. Likewise, it mandates the printing of the requisite product specifications on the package label as sought by regulatory agencies in the Sultanate.
The place of origin of the product should be furnished as well. Under the new regulations, the sale of a consumer product is deemed illegal if it has passed it’s expiration date, or if there are any changes to its natural form, or labels feature misleading information. The new regulations guarantee the rights of consumer, including the right to access information of the commodities being purchased or used, or the services received. The new regulations also affirm the consumer’s right to return a product or get a faulty item replaced. The consumer may return the goods within 15 days of purchase or delivery. Furthermore, the regulations upholds the consumer’s right to be sold products and services that respect religious values, customs and traditions.
Penalties are toughened under the new regulations. Prison terms ranging from one to two years, with fines of up to RO 2,000, have been prescribed. Actions that compromise the safety of consumers are punishable with jail terms ranging from 10 days to one year, with fines extending from RO 100 to RO 2,000. The new regulations have been enthusiastically welcomed by the general public. Ali Khalfan, a Muscat-based professional, said the ambit of the Consumer Protection Law has been significantly enlarged while there is greater clarity with regard to the nature and types of offences that fall within the purview of the law.
“The penalties prescribed in the executive regulations should hopefully make traders and suppliers think twice before indulging in practices that may amount to a breach of one’s consumer rights. Although it took the Authority more than two years to issue the Executive Regulations, the comprehensive scope of the new regulations has made it well worth the wait,” he said.
Salim al Salti, another Muscat-based national, underlined the need for public campaigns to help the general population understand the specifics of the new regulations. “The promulgation of such substantive regulations should ideally be followed up by major campaigns to educate the consumers about their rights,” he said, while urging the PACP to shoulder the responsibility of communicating to the general public the salient features of the new guidelines.
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