Customers decry proliferation of fake products in the market – ‘Hold cheating traders accountable’

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KUWAIT CITY, July 10: Citizens, expatriates and officials in showrooms for electric equipment, electronics and textile have expressed disappointment over the spread of fake equipment and textile that carry international brands but do not come close to the quality of the original products.

They said consumers can no longer differentiate whether the items they are buying are fake or original as everything has been mixed up in the market where the traders of fake electronics are only concerned with making quick profits by cheating or deception.

They stressed the need to hold accountable the traders who cheat their customers by selling fake products.

The concerned monitoring authorities that seem to be absent in the markets must stop the import of these fake products, they added. A citizen, Abu Ibrahim, said: “Fake products have spread in different local markets. Even big commercial centers cheat their customers as they sell fake products such as computers and television sets. Fake products have become widespread like fire and have ‘conquered’ the original products for years as some Chinese companies managed to imitate all genuine or original products. It is possible to buy a fake product but it should be my intention and own will, not by being cheated by the seller.” Said Jamal disclosed he bought an electronic device from a showroom last year for a relative in his country but he was surprised to find out later it was fake although the showroom staff affirmed the product was genuine.

Safwat Ezz disclosed such form of commercial cheating has reached the textile market. She purchased a piece of cloth for a relative and she was told its original wool but she was surprised to discover during washing and sewing process that it was not wool. Another citizen, Abbas Mahmoud, asserted it has become necessary for the concerned authorities to ban the import of fake products.

“All these fake products are sold openly; even the CD’s are sold in open spaces, on the pavements yet no monitoring authority says anything,” he complained. Umm Ahmad admitted she has resorted to buying fake make-up because the original ones are expensive despite knowing that fake beauty make-up products may damage the skin or the eyes and cause cancer.

She pointed out she has no choice, considering the salaries are low whereas the prices of various products continue to soar. Attorney Mubarak Al-Mutawa confirmed that the Kuwaiti law criminalizes the act of cheating in commercial markets, especially since Kuwait is a signatory to several agreements on protecting copyrights.

By Najeh Bilal Al-Seyassah Staff

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