UAE – The first quarter of 2023 saw 26,214 products tested and audited by the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (QCC), including 24,091 during field inspections and 2,123 on online sales platforms.
Laboratory tests for water had the largest share overall at 60.4 percent, followed by food and liquids at 21.6 percent, and environment at 11.2 percent. In the case of food and liquids, the laboratory carried out 19,917 tests, while 55,544 laboratory tests were conducted for water, 10,286 for the environment, and 720 for agricultural crops.
In the Council’s report on the performance indicators for the Consumer and Market Services Sector, it was stated that 4,896 measurement devices and 312 product packages totaling 7,800 commodities had been verified.
According to the study, three products were rectified during checks on a total of 1,456 commodities, while two products were recalled from Abu Dhabi markets and withdrawn from overseas markets.
“The Council is committed to ensuring the safety of products traded in the markets. This is achieved by monitoring their conformity with the relevant specifications and technical regulations through sample examinations at the Council’s laboratories,” Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Executive Director of the Consumer and Market Services Sector, stated.
He further added that the Council strives continuously to develop and sustain its services by adopting and implementing the best-in-class international methodologies and practices, and by empowering employees through training, effective planning, follow-ups, and measurement of its services to increase product competitiveness and consumer safety and rights.
The report also emphasized the Council’s dedication to ensuring fair trade in Abu Dhabi by exercising supervisory control over goods’ exports and imports in collaboration with the appropriate authorities, thereby ensuring the safety of products by ensuring they do not contain any elements that could endanger health and safety.
In accordance with the control programs of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, the Council also conducted a campaign on pre-packaged Ramadan products from March 21 to 24 in Abu Dhabi across 13 markets, including more than six in Abu Dhabi, four in Al Ain, and three in Al Dhafra.
The goal of the campaign was to verify the quantity of pre-packaged products and their conformity with specifications, covering the verification of approved legal measurement units.
The laboratory implemented two specialized training programs, offered five technical consultations, evaluated the product labels of around 698 commodities, and confirmed the net weight of 111 items in the first quarter of the year.
In February, during UAE Innovation Month, QCC won the gold prize for inventive success in growth at the Stevie Awards Middle East and North Africa.
The recognition recognized the Council’s performance and excellence in entrusting laboratory testing services to regional private businesses, enhancing the strategic alliance between the Council and the private sector for sustainability, quality, and lower service costs in Abu Dhabi.
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