Article 1 of the Saudi Anti-Fraud Law

This is the definitions article, which explains what the words that recur throughout the Law mean, unless the context requires another meaning. The most important thing in it is the definition of the adulterated product, because most of the violations and penalties in the Law are built on it.

An adulterated product covers three forms:

1. A product that has been altered or tampered with in any manner, by addition, reduction, processing or otherwise, so that it loses some of its material or moral value, whether in its identity, nature, type, components, characteristics, source or quantity (weight, measure, size, number, capacity, standard).
2. A product that does not conform to the approved standard specifications, even if deliberate tampering is not established.
3. A spoiled product: one that is no longer fit for exploitation, use or consumption, with the Implementing Regulations setting out the criterion for that.

The approved standard specifications are those issued by the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization, or issued by other local or international bodies and adopted by that Organization. The article also defines "the Ministry" as the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, "the Minister" as its minister, and "the Regulations" as the Implementing Regulations of the Law.

The importance of these definitions appears in Article 2, which treats as violations selling, displaying, possessing for trade or importing an adulterated product, and manufacturing products that violate the approved standard specifications; all of these acts are understood by reference to the definitions in this article.