The Saudi government is introducing new legislation and signing up two quality certification firms to help regulate the country’s SR11 billion cosmetics industry, which has been plagued by dangerous fake and expired products.

The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) recently signed agreements with two European companies to help test and verify products. The two companies are Britain’s Intertek International Limited and Switzerland’s SGS.

The mandate of these firms will be to inspect, verify, test and certify cosmetics imported by the Kingdom’s traders.

“We have selected these two companies because of their long experience and track record of achievement in their field,” said Ibrahim Al-Jaffali, vice president of the SFDA’s drug section, following the signing of the agreement at the agency’s headquarters. He said the measures have been taken to protect the health of consumers.

Earlier this month Mohammed Al-Jallal, the executive director of the SFDA’s safety department, announced that the Shoura Council would soon approve a new law to regulate the cosmetics market.

“The council has already finished formulating the law and is in the process of approving it,” he said, speaking at a seminar organized by women owners of ateliers at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s small business center. Cosmetics importers and dealers also attended the seminar.

“Once the law is approved, it will give the SFDA greater leverage and control over the cosmetics market and ensure safe products are traded. This is a very important market in the Kingdom because it is worth SR11 billion,” Al-Jallal said.

He said that the SFDA was assigned five years ago to supervise the cosmetics market and monitor quality. “Since then, we worked on reviewing, integrating, and improving the standards developed previously by the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization.” There are now 34 standards that have enabled better and safer trading practices and production, he said.

Al-Jallal said that poorly manufactured or stored cosmetics have resulted in severe consequences over the past five years. “For example, in 2009 six people died from bad cosmetics including a newborn baby,” he said.

He warned that people should avoid using locally homemade cosmetics. “These homemade cosmetics are illegal products unless they are produced in special places licensed as laboratories by the proper authorities, including the SFDA,” he said.