The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has urged Kenyans to remain vigilant when buying products, advising consumers to verify the authenticity of goods before making purchases.
In a statement, KEBS encouraged buyers to always check for standardisation marks and verify them through the bureau’s official website.
“Buy products which you can see have product certification marks, that is, standardisation marks of quality,” KEBS said. “This mark of quality can be verified online, where you just type the number you have seen on our website and see whether the permit displayed there is genuine or not.”
KEBS emphasised that consumers play a vital role in protecting their well-being by confirming that products are certified for sale.
“That is one way of safeguarding yourself as a consumer, ensuring by yourself that what is right before you is permitted to be in the market,” the bureau added.
KEBS further encouraged consumers to report any suspicious products lacking credible marks through phone calls or social media.
“Blow the whistle, as a consumer, if at any given time you are getting in contact with a product whose quality you are suspecting or not quite sure of,” KEBS advised.
The bureau assured the public that it is conducting regular monitoring and surveillance to enforce quality standards. It also warned that anyone misusing certification marks would face immediate sanctions.
“If at all misuse of the mark is detected, the ones misusing the mark are equally sanctioned immediately,” KEBS stated, warning that misuse exposes people to uncertified products and damages Kenya’s reputation as a regional manufacturing hub.
