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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

PACP intensifies raids as consumer complaints jump

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Muscat: A rise in consumer complaints and violations, detected by the Public Authority for Consumer Protection (PACP), was witnessed in the first half of 2020.


Nearly 50,000 consumer complaints were reported in the first half of 2020 as the Public Authority for Consumer Protection (PACP) intensified measures to tackle unethical practices in the market.


As many as 2, 425 violations were found from January to June this year, against 2,169 such violations during the same period last year with a jump of nearly 12 per cent.


"The reason for the rise in violations is due to the intensive and continuous field inspection by officials and specialists from the Authority’s office despite the Corona pandemic threat," Khaled al Anqoudi, Director of the Communications Center, PACP told the Observer.


The Governorate of Al Seeb reported 716 violations followed by North Al Batinah, which recorded 472 cases.


Dhofar recorded 125 violations, South Al Batinah 112, Al Dhahirah 84, South Al Batinah 72, Southeast Al Batinah 71, Al Dhakhiliya 49, North Sharqiya 37, Al Buraimi 28, Al Wusta 21, Musandam (Dibba) and (Khasab) reported two and one violations while Al Mazyona recorded one violation during the same period.


The teams of the PACP inspectors checked 47,900 shops and commercial establishments as part of their routine checking which inspected prices, products, services, probable trade malpractice, hoarding and the like.


The hotline number of the PACP received 48,415 complaints, reports and inquiries through the call center between February and June this year.


Any trade malpractice or undue price hike is found at any commercial outlet, or if someone did not receive value for his money, he can get in touch with the Market Watch on toll-free numbers 80079009 or 80077997 and report violations, the PACP official added.


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