Product Safety Law

Purpose and scope

• Aims to protect consumers by preventing risks from products offered in Saudi markets (Article 2); it applies to all products, including those sold online, except those under other authorities (Article 3).

Key rules, rights and obligations

• Making, importing, marketing, circulating or advertising unsafe products is prohibited (Article 5); a product is safe if it poses no risk in normal use and meets technical regulations or standards (Article 6).
• Manufacturers, authorised representatives and importers must ensure safety and conformity and assess risks (Article 9), inform consumers of non-obvious risks (Article 10), and put their name and contact details on the product (Article 11).
• They must monitor risks and take corrective action, including warning consumers and recalling the product (Article 12).
• A distributor must not offer a product it knows, or should know, does not conform, and must help pass on risk information (Article 13).

Violations, penalties and common problems

• Penalties: a warning, a fine of up to ten million riyals, or closure for up to a year, with possible publication of the decision at the violator's expense (Article 34).
• Deliberately placing an unsafe product on the market that may harm consumers is punishable by up to ten years' imprisonment, investigated by the Public Prosecution (Article 35).
• Obstructing an inspector is prohibited (Article 28).

Procedures and key deadlines

• A five-member committee, including three legal advisers, hears violations, imposes corrective measures and may ask the competent court to order confiscation (Article 33).
• If a product risk emerges, it is wise to warn and recall before any inspection, as this is a core duty (Article 12).

An advisory summary prepared by Al-Bayan Al-Wadih Law Firm. It is not an official text and does not replace the law, its implementing regulations, or advice from a specialised lawyer. The official published text and its amendments prevail.