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The Consumer Protection
Agency (CPA) supported and financed the Central
Association for Consumer Protection to make analytical
studies of the natural bottled water, as a beginning to
apply this approach on other products that are closely
related to the consumer’s health to ensure that they
meet the standards.
On its part, the CPA also plays a role in revealing the
truth about many goods and products which, in case of
being fraudulent, will endanger the consumer’s health.
Some of these products are being circulated in the
market despite not being in conformity with the
standards, and some are even invalid for human use.
The outcome of those studies indicated violations in the
products of some natural water bottling companies, and
also indicated the invalidity of the products of some
other companies. Thus, it was necessary to make other
tests at the Ministry of Health laboratories to
ascertain these important results.
The Ministry of Health laboratories made reports with
the results of testing the samples that the Ministry of
Trade control agencies got from 20 factories of bottled
water manufacturing companies in Egypt. The results
showed that the water produced by 16 bottled natural
water companies is valid and meets the specifications,
whereas the water produced by 4 companies is invalid.
The invalid bottled water brands are Aqua Siwa (19
liters) produced on November 4th, 2007; Vodata bottles
(1.5 liters) produced on October 2007; Al-Ferdaws
bottles (19 liters); and Aqua Luxor (20 liters). Based
on these results, the Industrial Control Agency
suspended the production lines of the violating
companies, and filed commercial fraud cases against
them.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry referred the
violations of the 4 bottled water companies to the
public prosecution after the Industrial Control Agency
had suspended the production lines of the four violating
companies factories, and filed commercial fraud cases
against them.
Engineer Rashid Mohamed Rashid, Minister of Trade and
Industry, issued a decision obliging all the industrial
establishments producing natural bottled water to apply
the highest international system for water quality and
safety, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points
(HACCP); a system internationally used and conforms with
the Codex Alimentarius standards.
The decision granted the establishments working in this
field a 12-month period to adjust their conditions. The
Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality
will provide technical assistance to these
establishments to adjust their conditions. Besides, the
Industry Modernization Center will provide them with the
technical services necessary for obtaining quality,
environment and safety certificates.
Engineer Rashid has demanded all the Ministry control
agencies to regularly take samples of water from inside
the production lines and from the markets to ensure the
safety and quality of the bottled water according to the
international standards.
The Minister stated that the CPA and the Chamber of Food
Industries are currently setting clear and strict
standards to announce the companies that violate them,
when it’s proven that they produce commodities invalid
for human use and endangering the consumers’ safety and
health. This approach will be followed for all food
stuff, pointing out that it ensures not to damage the
reputation of any product unless it’s proven to be not
conforming with the standards.
Counselor Hesham Ragab, Assistant to the Minister for
legal and Legislative Affairs, pointed out that the
violations of the four companies were referred to the
public prosecution and to the CPA to take the necessary
procedures pursuant to Articles (7) and (19) of the
Consumer Protection Law. Article (7) stipulates that if
any supplier discovers or becomes aware of the existence
of a defect in a product that endangers the consumers’
health and safety, the supplier shall inform the CPA of
this defect and the potential prejudice that it may
cause. The supplier shall also announce stopping its
production or dealing in it and warn the consumers not
to use the product.
Dr. Mahmoud Eissa, Head of the Egyptian Organization for
Standardization and Quality, stated that the
international system for food safety (HACCP) will be
applied in two stages. The first stage, which must be
fully completed first, will be related to applying the
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). The second stage
will be related to applying HACCP.
Mr. Said Al-Alfy, Head of the CPA, said that the CPA
will continue to play its role as a main sponsor for
activating the role of consumer protection associations,
which are considered an important tool for public
control over the market to disclose the products that do
not meet the standards or that are invalid for human use
that the consumers may find in the Egyptian market. He
also confirmed that announcing the violating companies
names is a new culture for the Egyptian society that
will be used to it gradually with a view to eliminating
any violating product or any product that does not meet
the standards.
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