ONE FOURTH OF SCALES CHECKED IN TRADE ORGANIZATIONS OF ARMENIA IN 2007

ARKA News Agency
Jan 10 2008
Armenia

YEREVAN, January 10. /ARKA/. One fourth of scales of Armenia’s trade
organizations were checked in 2007, said Chairman of "Protection of
Consumers’ Rights" NGO Abgar Yegoyan. He said that 6ths scales out
of 25ths registered in Armenia were checked in 2007.

He pointed out that according to Armenia’s Law "On providing unity
of measurement" all scales in the territory of Armenia should be
checked minimum once a year according to the application of the
economic entity, and in case if they are not checked a fine of AMD
50-100ths is envisaged.

"It is a small fine, because this sum can be earned in a week by
short-weighing consumers," he said.

Yegoyan pointed out that the problem of short-weight is intensified
on New Year eve, and it serves a serious factor forming pricing.

"If during the New Year holidays the price for bananas increased
up to AMD 1200, and the oranges – AMD 800, when short-weighing the
product the price will increase by 15-30% more," he said.

Yegoyan pointed out that mostly it concerns the street trade despite
the practice of using electronic scales.

"Today the practice of interfering in inner structure of scales is
largely used, as a result of which the short-weight may reach 200-500
grams," he said.

Yegoyan said that the organization that he heads intends to make
some proposals for the solution to these problems, in particular,
to create firm mechanism of information exchange between the state
structures, reconsider the types of scales allowed and used in trade,
provide full transfer to easily checked electronic scales and establish
certain seals that are prohibited to break.

According to Yegoyan, in order to except short-weight it is necessary
to introduce the practice of control scales, which would be placed in
trading centers. "Moreover, the weights of control scales should be
checked, which will give consumers a possibility to check the weight
of the purchased products," he said.

He also proposed to increase the fine for not checking the scales up
to AMD 200-300ths, "which is a more significant sum and can become a
stimulus for introducing legal activity of the economic entities in
the field of trade."

Yegoyan pointed out that the organization is going to make all these
proposals to the Ministry of Trade and Economic Development.

"Protection of Consumers’ Rights" NGO was founded in 1997, the sphere
of its activity includes the provision of safe consumer environment and
protection of the impaired right of consumers. ($1 – AMD 307.09).