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A number of sales officials in cooperatives confirmed their keenness to verify product data before displaying it on shelves, especially with regard to the net weight listed on the packages, in order to avoid cases of commercial fraud, which the consumer may be exposed to.
They said that there is an error rate that may occur, especially in the case of manual packing of products, but it does not exceed or less than 200 grams in commodities such as rice and sugar, but they are keen to verify the components and details of the product before displaying it on the sale shelves, and returning it to the supplier if they find any violation. of the contracts previously entered into with him.
The same applies to consumers who indicated their keenness to ensure the weight of goods and their components, not questioning the seller’s credibility, but rather to avoid being cheated, because this is one of the consumer rights that must be included in school curricula, so that it becomes a way of life to be passed on to future generations.
Walid Al-Maghrabi, Director of Purchasing at the Emirates Cooperative Society in Dubai, stressed the need for the supplier to write down the net weight on the package, and not to exceed 200 grams in rice and sugar commodities with weights exceeding 5 kilograms, because in the event that the net weight is not mentioned, this is a commercial manipulation based on it. The association removed all quantities from the sale shelves and returned them to the supplier, as well as imposing a fine in accordance with the previously signed contract.
He explained that the filling of products is usually carried out by machines, without the intervention of the human factor. However, there are factors that affect the performance of the machines, such as periodic maintenance and control of production lines, which leads to an increase or decrease in the quantity packed by 100-200 grams in sugar and rice, As for spices, they do not exceed 5-10 grams.
He pointed out that the error rate in the weight of vegetables and fruits by the supplier ranged from 90-120 grams, as they are filled by labor, and the error in weight increases as human intervention increases in the packaging process, but it is often not possible to describe the case of the increase or decrease in weight. It is a commercial fraud.
He praised the awareness of consumers, and their shopping culture, for their knowledge of their rights and the scrutiny of all details of the product, a right that cannot be denied, because they constitute the second party in the sales process, and without it, the goods will remain on the shelves.
Transparency principle
Majer Al-Din Khan, Director of the Commercial Affairs Sector at the Union Coop in Dubai, confirmed that the cooperative adopts the principle of transparency in the processes of buying and selling and dealing with the consumer, to provide a fair shopping experience for consumers in the retail sector in the emirate, as the error resulting from a system malfunction or technical malfunction is possible. However, it is important that the service provider correct the error if it occurs, and avoid its occurrence in the future.
He explained that the cooperative is constantly working to verify the weights written on the products before they are offered for sale, through the competent teams and the functional cadres assigned to do so, in order to ensure the safety of the product in general in terms of weights and conformity to specifications and food standards before accepting it from suppliers and displaying it on the shelves.
He pointed out that in the event of a difference in weight, the products are returned to the suppliers, and the supplier is alerted not to repeat the matter again, in addition to the fact that any defect in the information on the product is reflected in the agreements concluded with the suppliers.
He stressed the keenness of Union Coop to apply and adhere to the standards of transparency and quality, and the cooperative’s customers should only trust that it always provides them with the best services and products.
rights and obligations
On the same level, lawyer Ali Musabeh, a member of the Emirates Lawyers and Legal Association, explained that there are rights and obligations that fall on the supplier, the port and the consumer, especially since it is a common interest to serve the members of society. When the supplier distributes the goods to the port, he must clarify the specifications related to this product, When displaying any commodity for circulation, the supplier shall prominently affix on its cover or package a label that includes data on the type, nature and components of the commodity, the name of the product, the date of production or packing, the net weight, the country of origin, the country of export (if any), and an indication of how to use (if possible). ) and the expiry date, with a detailed statement inside the package of the commodity’s components, specifications, rules of use, risks, and other data in Arabic, as determined by the executive regulations of this law.
He said that the commodity must be identical to the weight displayed on the label on the merchandise, as sometimes the value of the commodity is estimated by its written weight. Which is very important to protect the consumer from any fraud or manipulation in the process of estimating the weight against the price, because the supplier must ensure that the commodity or service supplied to the consumer conforms to the approved approved standard specifications announced, and he is also responsible for non-compliance with the conditions related to public health and safety. The supplier, upon discovering a defect in the good or service that would harm the consumer when using the good or using the service in the correct manner, shall inform the administration, the concerned authorities, and the consumer of the potential damages and how to prevent them, in accordance with what is determined by the executive regulations of this law, and the consumer has the right to compensation for personal damages or material in accordance with the general rules in force, and any agreement to the contrary is void.
Purchasing culture
On the other hand, a number of consumers unanimously agreed on their right to ensure the credibility of the seller, which reflects their purchasing culture and their eagerness to shop for high-quality products. A commodity is not skeptical of the seller’s credibility, but to ensure that he is not exposed to commercial fraud, which is guaranteed by law in the country, as consumer awareness reflects his keenness to buy high-quality goods, which
