Market Surveillance
Introduction
Market surveillance involves monitoring of products or goods traded in the market to ensure that such goods are first and foremost safe and fit for use. And secondly, the goods must also meet other regulatory requirements relating to labeling, technical documentation, and quantities.
The Market surveillance activities of RBS started way back in 2003; this activity was then institutionalized and mainstreamed into the RBS structure as a fully fledged section under the Quality Assurance Unit. Mandatory standards are the ones to be fully implemented by market surveillance quality inspectors.
As the world embraces the idea of liberalization of trade and a truly global market, where there is free movement of goods, people and knowledge, national governments especially in developing countries, must prepare them to protect their people and economies from substandard and counterfeit goods and wastes incorporated within traded goods.
Activities
1. To protect safety and health of consumers
This is ensured through Market surveillance inspections. Focus is on monitoring of the products, both imported and local goods that are already placed in the market. Market surveillance carries out its activities by regularly visiting commercial, industrial and storage premises; responding to consumer complaints; regularly visiting (when appropriate), work places, Weekly visits to districts/up-country. Regularly organizing random spot checks; educating consumers and traders, taking samples of the products, and to subject them to examination and testing by RBS testing laboratories; and to require all necessary information related to any product from the relevant parties concerned.
2. To promote fair trade practices
During planned market surveillance inspections and complaint handling, emphasis is made also on good transportation, storage and distribution practices, hygiene, labeling and packaging requirements.
RBS has been able to make significant achievements over the past few years like removal of substandard goods from markets all over the country.
These include:
- Foodstuffs such as breakfast cereals, maize flour, cassava flour, milk and milk products (Butter, cheese, yoghurt, milk powder), sweets, canned fish, canned meat, canned vegetables, etc
- Beverages: expired or substandard soft drinks, substandard banana beer, expired beer, expired fruit nectars and fruit concentrate etc
- Cosmetics and detergents: cosmetics containing hydroquinone, shoe polish, tooth brushes, detergents like Jim, Vim, Omo, Roico, etc.
- Other substandard or banned goods such as PE sachets.
These are goods that can hamper the local industry, thanks to RBS for the job well done.
3. Collaboration with stakeholders for consumer protection
- Market surveillance inspections are carried out in collaboration of local authorities.
- District and sector officials in charge of hygiene actively participate in market surveillance activities and this collaboration improve on the effectiveness of market surveillance activities.
- A training was conducted in 2008 by RBS quality inspectors for district officials in charge of hygiene inspection on market surveillance activities
- Participation in trainings and seminars with stakeholders, partners, and
- Participation in TV show on Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS) market surveillance activities
4. Way forward
- Strengthening collaboration with stakeholders such as Ministry of Trade and Industry, Rwanda Development board, district and sector officials, and National Police to have an improved and harmonized market surveillance scheme
- Actively participate in market surveillance activities within member country of East African Community (EAC) by implementing the harmonization of market surveillance activities for compulsory standards in partner states
- To continue display any relevant information relevant to market surveillance and consumer protection through public means newspaper, radio and television, seminars, workshop and trainings
