Consumer Protection Association
The Consumer Protection Association is a non-profit civil organization concerned with consumer affairs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It's located in Riyadh City. It seeks to develop procedures and mechanisms that improve the consumer experience, establish incentives for compliance with regulations and measure their effectiveness, and coordinate with partners for their implementation, in addition to raising consumer awareness about consumer culture and informing them of their rights and obligations.
Objectives of Consumer Protection Association
The association aims to look after consumer affairs in Saudi Arabia, safeguard their interests and preserve their rights, adopt their issues with public and private entities, and protect them from various forms of fraud, deception, counterfeiting, misrepresentation, and misleading practices in services and goods, as well as from unjustified price hikes. It also seeks to raise consumer awareness and educate them on rationalizing consumption. To achieve these objectives, it developed a strategic plan for 2021–2024.
Mandates of Consumer Protection Association
The association is responsible for several tasks, including receiving consumer complaints in cases of fraud, deception, misrepresentation, or manipulation in goods or services, referring them to the relevant authorities, and following up on them; supporting government entities concerned with consumer protection; preparing and publishing research and studies; organizing conferences, training courses, and seminars; holding exhibitions; increasing awareness of ways to rationalize consumption; providing consultations; proposing consumer protection regulations; representing consumers in and collaborating with various bodies, committees, and organizations; and participating in activities related to its objectives.
Programs of Consumer Protection Association
The association offers a number of programs, including the Member Services Development Program, which grants joining members several benefits, such as priority in obtaining legal consultations, priority in participating in community committees, participation in development initiatives, and engagement in the association’s economic projects. In cases of disputes, a lawyer is assigned to the member free of charge.
The association has also launched the Consumer-Friendly Products Initiative, aimed at promoting a culture of seeking reasonably priced products and enhancing private sector participation in finding solutions that suit consumers, by showcasing the lowest prices for basic household goods through the association’s accounts and website to facilitate access.
Services of Consumer Protection Association
The association provides a range of services for all sectors to help make informed consumption decisions. These include the mystery shopper service, focus groups, market research, customer service development, awareness campaign design, corporate social responsibility program design, market research, and opinion surveys.
The association works to improve the consumer experience through studies and research, including those that have addressed the average prices of forty-two products, complaints about fraudulent housing, and consumer satisfaction with restaurant delivery services. It has also studied consumer behavior and awareness through the Saudi Consumer Empowerment Index.
The association offers the Compliance Certificates Program, which grants certificates in several categories upon meeting its requirements. These include the “Consumer-Friendly” certificate in the retail sector for companies, individuals, and law firms; a certificate for healthcare facilities; a certificate for authorized car dealers and distributors; and the “Excellence in Consumer Experience” certificate, which aims to guide establishments to adopt principles that contribute to improving the consumer experience.
It also offers the Consumer Protection Club Program, aimed at raising consumer awareness and improving their experience. The program targets youth aged between eighteen and twenty-five, supports the organization of related activities and events, and promotes youth skills and talents in a way that benefits them and spreads consumer protection culture. In addition, it presents Consumer Protection Medals to honor individuals who contribute to raising awareness of consumer culture.
SCAM Platform
In 2018, the Consumer Protection Association launched the SCAM Platform "https://scam.cpa.org.sa", which specializes in warning and alerting consumers about financial fraud. It provides information on fraud and scam methods, shares others’ experiences to identify the tactics used by fraudsters, and takes necessary measures against them by maintaining a blacklist of individuals and entities known for fraudulent activities, enabling the relevant authorities to pursue them.