Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Khaled Hanafi yesterday 25 March launched the Consumer Protection Agency’s (CPA) Media Monitor.
Dr Hanafi explained that it will be the Media Monitor’s responsibility to scan all media venues—the press, national TV and satellite channels—for advertisements that mislead or outright cheat consumers. The CPA monitor, he said, will focus on advertiser consumer contests, non-licensed centres for maintenance of household appliance, and non-licensed medical drugs. In case of violations, the media monitor will take legal action. Deceitful advertisements, Dr Hanafi said, harm the national economy, especially that they promote the poor, cheaper products versus the good-quality more costly ones.
According to Major General Atef Yacoub, head of CPA, a number of fresh media graduates have been appointed by the CPA to work on the Media Monitor. Aided by a number of CPA legal experts, the monitor team will present a daily report to the CPA.
Dr Hanafi said that a new 84-article consumer protection bill was presented to the Cabinet last week. The new bill stipulates harsher penalties against violators and covers new fields such as online shopping. He said the ministry plans to increase the number of round-the-clock hotlines for receiving consumer complaints.
Watani International
26 March 2014