QCC organises workshop on metrological control on pre-packaged products

Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (QCC) has organised a workshop on metrological control on pre-packaged products, as part of its efforts to uphold the rights of consumers on one hand, and the rights of manufacturers, distributers or importers on the other. The Council’s efforts also aim to preserve the community's rights in general and the economy in particular, in addition to ensuring that there are no pre-packaged products that do not meet the mandatory requirements.

Within the terms of the authorisation agreement signed by the Council and the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA), the QCC verifies the accuracy of legal measuring instruments in Abu Dhabi, as the Council works to ensure the accuracy of quantities of products in pre-packaged goods, and their conformity with both local and international standards. The Council’s specialised technical staff carry out daily verification of weighing scales, fuel-pump meters, medical measuring instruments and other measuring instruments throughout the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.  

Commenting on the workshop,  Sultan Al Mehairi, spokesperson for the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council said: “This workshop is very important as it comes as part of our efforts to achieve the Council’s vision and mission of leading, facilitating, and developing an integrated and highly efficient quality infrastructure in Abu Dhabi that meets international standards and promotes the culture of quality, industrial development, competitiveness, and consumer safety. This comes in accordance with the Abu Dhabi plan to build a sustainable and globally competitive economy.”

Al Mehairi added: “In 2013, the Council activated legal metrological controls for pre-packaged products in the market in line with the mandatory requirements, as reflected in the relevant legislation and regulations, so as to ensure the conformity of the information stated on the packaging labels, which specifies the nominal quantity, and measuring units of the product, also to verify the actual quantity of the pre-packaged products, especially with foodstuff, chemicals and other consumer goods. The Council has also developed criteria for its selection of pre-packaged products for verification, governed by their importance to consumers in the Emirate and the volume of consumption, as well as their economic value.”

During the workshop, manufacturers were made aware of the importance of their products conforming to relevant metrological requirements, and their impact on economic competitiveness and exports to foreign markets. They also learned more about their roles and responsibility in applying these requirements and informing the factories and importers about all legislation related to pre-packaged products.

The workshop also covered the importance of the responsibilities of quality control inspectors and suppliers to ensure that the actual quantities matches the nominal quantities displayed on the packaging labels, and that the nominal quantities are written correctly. In addition, the workshop highlighted the importance of the Council and its role in improving the quality infrastructure through its services, as well as the importance of cooperation with the Council’s inspectors in carrying out their duties.

According to the QCC’s market and consumer services sector, the Council’s has completed the initial phase of its program to verify quantities of pre-packaged products by taking samples from the market and following up on complaints received by the Council. Staffed with fully trained personnel to undertake these verifications efficiently and competently, the laboratory commenced operations at the end of 2012.       

To date, QCC has implemented four stages of its ongoing program of verification of pre-packaged products, including solid products, liquid products, solid in liquid products, chemical and construction products. At the beginning of 2020, QCC will commence verification of packages quantified by numbers, and in 2021 will start verification of packages measured by length or area.

The Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council was established in 2009 to raise the quality of the Emirate’s exports and locally traded products while protecting the interests of consumers and supporting the UAE’s competitive economy. The QCC empowers regulators to establish and implement product safety, metrology, and conformity schemes. The Council also sets guidelines and benchmarks to verify that products manufactured and traded in Abu Dhabi conform to the highest quality standards.

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© Press Release 2019