There has been an alarming increase in fake goods in the Omani market with the amount of counterfeit commodities confiscated by Public Authority for Consumer Protection (PACP) rising from 34,461 in 2012 to 814,276 by 2013, more than a 2,000 per cent increase, statistics issued by PACP reveal.
As a result, some alarmed consumers and traders have called for putting in place tighter controls in the Omani market.
"Lack of awareness programmes and the high cost of original commodities that many consumers cannot afford to buy are the main reasons for increase in fake commodities," said a reliable source at the PACP, while pointing out that there are various methods to differentiate the original from a fake item even though there are certain items that make it difficult for the consumer to identify the difference.
"Some differences can be identified through the colour, font, or price," said the source, adding that consumers can visit the fake commodities' exhibition that the PACP holds to enable them to differentiate between the original and fake items.
"There are fake versions in the market for almost every commodity, because of huge demand. The products that can be faked include electronic devices, clothes, accessories, perfumes, glasses, watches, car parts, books, and even medicines, which is dangerous," said the source. He added that sometimes products are damaged or consumers suffer injuries and even death due to accidents.
"Using fake car parts might lead to fatal accidents," said the source, while pointing out that fake medicines can affect the users as these might cause diseases as serious as cancer.
Many traders have expressed their concern over fake and duplicate items in the local markets, while shoppers justified their need to buy such items since original items cost far too much because of monopoly trade practices.
While some shoppers considered counterfeit goods as a solution to counter the monopoly of original commodities that are very costly, others stressed the importance of increasing inspections to combat commercial fraud and counterfeiting.
"Counterfeit commodity traders look for quick profits in a short period as they tend to change their business after making considerable profits," said Ali Al Bahri, working with a private sector firm. He added that the importers look for less expensive items to get a larger profit while the consumers look for cheap items that suit their budget.
"We call on the Public Authority for Consumer Protection to adopt an integrated strategy to address the menace of counterfeiting and commercial fraud and work to increase consumer awareness. It is necessary to show that consumers end up playing in the hands of counterfeiters if they buy fake versions," noted Al Bahri.
"I always want to buy watches and shoes of well-known brands, but the problem is that the prices are very high," said Hussein Ali, working with a private sector concern. "The prices of counterfeit commodities that are the latest in fashion encourage consumers to buy these," pointed Hussein.
The fake item is likely to suffer damage quickly and the consumers will have to buy the same item time and again, which means they end up paying for it more than once, eventually spending more than the price of the original item, said Fawaz Al Farsi, a university student.
"Lack of awareness among consumers and mixed thoughts about the concept of commercial and counterfeit commodities have pushed consumers into buying counterfeit items," noted Al Farsi, while adding that the limited budget of many families to meet their daily needs as well as the desire of some to be on par with the latest trends, ignoring health risks, drives consumers towards counterfeit commodities.
"We call on the consumers to contact the PACP through the consumer line 80079009 or 80077997 in case they find any fake item or a case of fraud and the authorities concerned will take proper legal action," said the source at PACP. He added that the consumers need to inform the authorities about the place where fake items are being sold.
"Legal action will be taken by the Public Authority for Consumer Protection before issuing any notice to any shop once the authenticity of the complaint and the original company manufacturing that product is ascertained," the source said.
PACP takes permission from the Public Prosecution to issue a notice and refer the case to a competent court.
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