Business & Money | Thursday 9 June, 2016 4:24 am |

Commerce and Investment Minister Majed Al-Qassabi is expected to personally supervise the work of the ministry’s inspection teams, which will check the availability and prices of quality consumer goods in the market.
Earlier this week, the minister held a round of talks with the directors of the various branches of the ministry in the presence of key officials from the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), Saudi Standards, Quality and Metrology Organization (SASO); Saudi Organization for Certified Evaluators and the Authority of Small and Medium Enterprises.
Al-Qassabi listened to the work plans of the various branches of the ministry for the implementation of inspection tours to ensure the availability of basic commodities and alternatives items, as well as to check the validity of such items, to monitor commercial fraud, and to take the necessary actions against any factors that may affect supply and demand. The inspection tours will also work to uncover fake promotions in shopping centers and trading markets.
The minister was also briefed on the stages of the proactive action plans in various regions that began earlier, as well as the ones to be implemented during the Holy Month of Ramadan. Al-Qassabi also directed his officials to submit weekly reports on the progress of the new plans to monitor their success.
He was also notified of the readiness of the MCI’s branches in Makkah and Madinah to implement the Annual Control and Operational Plan that caters for the needs of the millions of Umrah pilgrims who come from all parts of the world to the Two Holy Cities.
The ministry’s inspectors will check the validity of all store items, with the necessary punishments being applied to anyone found to be in violation of the law. This comes within its plan that is applied each year during Ramadan.
The ministry also confirmed that the inspection teams will check that the price tags on items match the prices at the cash register. It has urged consumers to lodge complaints and observations by using the toll free number (1900) around the clock.