MANAMA: A bylaw implementing the GCC Unified Law on Combating Commercial Fraud has come into force upon its publication in the Official Gazette.
The bylaw obligates the supplier to notify the authority upon discovering fake or spoilt goods.
The supplier is also obligated to stop selling or dealing in fake or spoilt goods and start immediately withdrawing them.
In case the fake or spoilt goods involve heath risk, consumers have to be warned immediately against using them.
The competent authority may notify the supplier by any means to remove the fake or spoilt merchandise from warehouses and markets.
The bylaw obligates the supplier to act, within 24 hours, and alert selling points and trading outlets to start immediately taking the fake or spoilt merchandise off the shelves.
Withdrawn merchandise should be kept in specified locations after notifying competent authorities about the premises where goods are stocked.
It is also mandatory for suppliers to publish, at least twice, a 15x15 cm announcement, in two local daily Arabic and English newspapers, informing the public about the withdrawn goods, within 24 hours upon receiving the official notification.
The announcement should bear the supplier’s phone number, facsimile, email, the trademark of the merchandise, the description of the goods and their country of origin.
Instructions to be followed to recover the value of the merchandise should also be included in the announcement, along with any other details deemed relevant to the competent authority.
In case the supplier fails to comply within 24 hours, the competent authority may step in to withdraw the merchandise at the supplier’s expense.
The bylaw also obligates the supplier to submit a report to relevant authority, within seven days, including details such as the quantity of the merchandise, its origin, sold items, quantity and value of withdrawn stocks.
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