The high cost of original parts and weak oversight … push the consumer to the “fake goods” market

A number of dealers in the auto parts market confirmed the growth of counterfeit products against the background of the high prices of original spare parts imported by agents, and confirmed that the volume of counterfeit parts ranges between 15 to 30% of the market volume, indicating that despite the risks arising from their use However, it remains an option for the consumer due to its low price in light of the agents’ adherence to high prices for the original parts, and market participants held the concerned authorities responsible for the spread of counterfeit products in light of their weak oversight role. For its part, the customs estimated the total seizures of adulterated and counterfeited auto parts from the beginning of last year to 25 On 5/2015, more than 3 million pieces, including oil filters, air filters and lighting devices, were demanded to tighten control over printing presses that forge the logos of international companies specialized in auto spare parts.

The head of the National Committee for Car Dealers in the Council of Saudi Chambers, Faisal Abu Shusha, indicated that concealment is one of the main reasons for the spread of counterfeit goods, and this includes concealment at the level of the importer, wholesaler and retailer, as this chain is the main nerve in the distribution network, which prevails in the city to reach the consumer with the commodity. such as printing presses, warehouses, transportation, and maintenance workshops.

Abu Shusha revealed that the volume of counterfeit parts amounts to approximately 30% of the market size, indicating that manufacturers worldwide do not deal directly with retail customers, but rather deal through agents for their goods in the region.

He said that most of the counterfeit and commercial pieces present in the Saudi market come through imports from different countries, and thus there is a great possibility to limit and control the flow of these products to the market by setting import controls, establishing a system for approving exporters, and subjecting imported goods to random examination of quality and their conformity. If a violation of Saudi standards is found, the export license will be withdrawn, and cooperation with the relevant authorities in the countries of origin should be increased to exchange information regarding counterfeit parts.

Abu Shousha called for tightening control over the local factories that manufacture some car parts, especially filters, brakes and some parts of the suspension system, to force them to obtain the necessary quality permits from the Standards and Metrology Authority and the manufacturers of such parts, and to subject these parts to examination and testing as is the case. It has been used by international factories before it is put on the local market.

Pointing out that some local printing presses participate in the counterfeiting of auto spare parts by printing and imitating trademarks and stickers for spare parts and some cartons for the counterfeiters, and the municipalities must play their role in issuing a primitive license for the shop, and the final license is not issued without permission from the Ministry of Commerce, as well as renewing the license.

He stressed the need to intensify inspections and control of all storage and sale areas for these products, and to share information related to institutions dealing with these pieces with other government agencies, such as the Customs Authority, to prevent repeated entry, or to suspend or prevent licenses for locally manufactured factories.

On the other hand, Deputy Chairman of the Saudi-Chinese Business Council, Muhammad Al-Ajlan, said that the market for counterfeit auto parts is increasing in light of the high prices of original spare parts imported by agents, indicating that despite the risks involved in using them, they remain the option for the consumer due to their low price.

Al-Ajlan pointed out that consumer awareness is one of the best ways to combat adulterated and counterfeit goods and is supportive of the efforts of the regulatory agencies to combat this phenomenon. And how to detect devious methods of fraud, deceit, and imitation, besiege them, and limit their spread, and thus contribute to reducing their health and security risks.

For his part, Issa Al-Essa, the advisor and official spokesman for Saudi Customs, revealed that the total seizures of adulterated and counterfeited auto parts from the beginning of last year until 25/5/2015 amounted to more than 3 million pieces, including oil filters, air filters and lighting devices.

He stressed that fraud and imitation come from most countries in the world, whether the agreement was reached between the exporter and the importer, or the importer unilaterally carried out fraudulent acts, such as changing the country of manufacture or forging documents or trademarks, estimating the Kingdom’s total imports of auto spare parts for the same period at about 269 million pieces, with a value of about 19 billion riyals.

For his part, Senior General Manager of Spare Parts Sales at Abdul Latif Jamil Muhammad Al-Ghamdi Company, explained that the imitation of auto spare parts in the Kingdom amounts to 15%, and the imitation of spare parts is concentrated on fast-moving parts such as spark plugs, brake cloths, oil filters, and gasoline filters, which represent parts Sensitive in vehicles, which means an increased danger to vehicle drivers as a result of a technical defect such as oil smuggling, brake failures and other damages that lead to risks to humans and to the life and safety of the vehicle.

He demanded control over printing presses that forge the logos of international companies specialized in auto spare parts such as oil filters, air filters, and the preparation of counterfeit and counterfeit parts and their distribution to publishers and spare parts stores as original spare parts, calling for the solidarity of government agencies and car agents to combat the spread of counterfeit spare parts in the market the local.

For his part, the official spokesman for the Saudi Standards and Metrology Organization, Tames Al-Hammadi, explained that the main role of the Standards and Metrology Organization is largely focused on providing the legislative base for the technical specifications that should be available in the goods that are traded in the Saudi market in general. The authority has issued more than 500 technical regulations and specifications. Standard concerned with the safety of cars and spare parts, which are tires and batteries, seat belts, brakes, oil, fuel and air filters, belts, glass and mirrors. These technical regulations aim to achieve efficient performance and quality level.

Al-Hammadi said that the authority has concluded programs for mutual recognition in the field of conformity certificates with 11 counterpart bodies and with 15 companies to grant accreditation certificates from bodies related to verifying the conformity of goods to specifications, indicating that the mechanism for clearing goods approved by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry includes acceptance of issued certificates. On behalf of those entities with which the Authority has signed recognition programs for conformity certificates, and thus the entry of counterfeit and non-conforming spare parts whose trading is considered commercial fraud is punishable by the law.

He stressed that the penalties vary according to the type of violation and what is seized by the technical teams consisting of the Authority and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and there are immediate penalties represented in fines, suspension of activity and other penalties granted by law to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and some cases may be referred to arbitration in the competent judicial departments, The regulatory system also includes a number of concerned government agencies such as customs and others, adding that there are four types of spare parts, which are original, commercial and refurbished, in addition to counterfeit spare parts.

Al-Hammadi pointed out that there are some countries whose products of spare parts in the Saudi market are not of good quality, and therefore the authority has held many meetings with its counterparts in these countries, in order to limit the import of such products through joint cooperation agreements, so that no As much as possible, any product is allowed to enter the Saudi market except after obtaining a certificate of conformity according to the mutual recognition programs concluded by the authority with a number of different countries of the world.