Background
The Ministry of Commerce’s Directorate for consumer quality and safety (K.B.B.) conducts market surveillance and product inspections to check technical compliance on packaging, labeling, expiry dates and food-safety standards across provinces. The Ministry’s inspection teams sampled 63 product specimens for laboratory analysis to detect prohibited chemical substances and other hazards.
Inspection activity targeted multiple provinces and retail points while distributing awareness materials to merchants and consumers to support voluntary compliance. Officials removed 41.2 kilograms of non-compliant and expired products from market locations to proceed with follow-up actions under applicable legal procedures.
Key Developments
Field teams from the Ministry’s provincial branches carried out coordinated checks in Svay Rieng, Kampong Speu, Koh Kong, Kampong Cham, Battambang, Takeo and Preah Sihanouk. Inspectors visited eight shops/stalls and approximately 90 mart or retail locations, with inspections focused primarily on mixed food products and related quality and safety attributes.
Institutional Role
The General Directorate K.B.B. coordinates laboratory analysis with the Department of Laboratories and works with provincial commerce offices and market committees to execute inspections. The Ministry also provides a public complaint channel through hotline 1266 and the CCF Complaint App for Android and iOS to receive reports on suspected non-compliant products and services.
Compliance Implications
Merchants found selling products that do not meet technical or labeling requirements may face removal of goods and subsequent administrative procedures as set out by existing rules. As part of outreach, inspection teams distributed 76 informational posters on safe food selection and proper labeling to encourage seller and consumer awareness of storage, expiry-date checks, and hygiene at points of sale.
