Consumer protection society under fire

By MUHAMMAD HUMAIDAN | ARAB NEWS

JEDDAH: “Know your rights as a consumer” was the theme of an event held by the Saudi Society for Consumer Protection (SSCP) on Monday evening in Jeddah. The occasion took place at the offices of the Saudi Standards, Specifications and Quality Organization.

“The society gives utmost attention to all affairs concerning consumers, catering to their interests as well as protecting, preserving and defending their rights,” said SSCP chairman Muhamamd Al-Hamad. He said the society was making a serious effort to protect consumers against fraud, forgery and cheating.

Habibullah Turkistani, a professor of public administration and marketing, criticized the society for not doing its work properly.

“The society claims to be fairly new but this is not an excuse. There are many ways in which it can carry out its activities, including providing advice to traders not to cheat or unjustifiably raise prices,” he said.

Turkistani said about 99 percent of specialized societies in Saudi Arabia were not functioning properly. He also criticized the society’s publications and said they fell short of satisfying consumers. “I did not find a single word that could attract the consumer,” he said.

A number of speakers asked the society to introduce TV programs that would increase consumer awareness and also called for lessons on the subject in schools.

Comments

DR. K. ELANGCHEZHIAN

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Saudi Society for Consumer Protection (SSCP) needs to work together with Academicians like Habibullah Turkistani, Chambers of Commerce, Trading Bodies and Consumers to contribute substantially to the society at large.

We [Department of Marketing at CBAK - Alkharj], a part of the newly formed Alkharj University would be glad and happy to work with SSCP in its Consumer Protection initiatives. Together we can make a difference in the way SSCP would like to work into the future. Hope SSCP would not mind in utilizing our services to the betterment of millions of customers across the Kingdom.
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