Article 5 of the Saudi Product Safety Law
المادة 5 من نظام سلامة المنتجات · الباب الثالث: التزامات السلامة العامة
The Law prohibits manufacturing, importing, marketing, circulating or advertising unsafe products.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تحظر صناعة المنتجات غير الآمنة أو استيرادها أو تسويقها أو تداولها أو الإعلان عنها.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 5 explained in plain English
This article is the basic rule of the Law: the prohibition of unsafe products. The prohibition covers five forms of dealing:
- Manufacturing.
- Importing.
- Marketing.
- Circulating.
- Advertising.
The prohibition is not limited to whoever made the product, but extends to every link in the supply chain, which under Article 1 is all the stages a product passes through up to final use. It includes even advertising, so anyone who promotes an unsafe product falls within the scope of the prohibition.
When a product is safe or unsafe is answered by Article 6, which follows: a product is safe if its use under normal conditions of use presents no hazard, or may give rise to acceptable risks consistent with the specified safety levels, and it meets all the essential requirements and complies with the technical regulations. If there are no relevant essential requirements or technical regulations, the product is safe if it conforms to the Saudi standards if there are any, or to the relevant regional or international standards.
It is preceded by Article 4, which sets the principles of application, including proportionality of procedures and penalties to the severity of the hazard. Anyone who doubts the safety of a product they deal in would do well to consult a lawyer who specializes in commercial cases.
Practical example
Khalid imported a shipment of electrical chargers to sell in his shop in Jeddah, and it then turned out that they do not meet the essential safety requirements. Under this article he is prohibited from importing, marketing, circulating or advertising them because they are unsafe.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 5 of the Saudi Product Safety Law
Is advertising an unsafe product prohibited?
Yes. The article prohibits advertising unsafe products in addition to manufacturing, importing, marketing and circulating them.
Is the prohibition limited to the manufacturer?
No. It covers manufacturing, importing, marketing, circulating and advertising.
More articles on Safe Products and the Ban on Unsafe Ones
- Article 6
A product is safe if it presents no hazard or its risks are acceptable in normal use, with the essential requirements and technical regulations met; otherwise by conforming to Saudi, regional or international standards.
1- يكون المنتج آمنًا إذا كان استخدامه -في ظل ظروف الاستخدام العادية- لا يمثل خطرًا، أو يمكن أن تنشأ عنه مخاطر مقبولة ومتوافقة مع مستويات السلامة المحددة -التي ت
- Article 7
The article sets what is taken into account when assessing a product's safety: its properties and instructions, its effect on other products, its presentation and information, the consumer exposed to the hazard, and the consumer's legitimate expectations.
عند تقييم ما إذا كان المنتج في الأسواق آمنًا، يجب أن يراعى الآتي: 1- خصائص المنتج -بما في ذلك تكوينه- وتعليمات استخدامه وتركيبه وإصلاحه. 2- تأثير المنتج في المن
- Article 8
The possibility of achieving higher levels of safety, or of obtaining another less hazardous product, is not sufficient by itself for considering a product unsafe.
لا تعد إمكانية تحقيق مستويات أعلى من السلامة للمنتج، أو إمكانية الحصول على منتج آخر أقل خطرًا؛ سببًا كافيًا لاعتبار المنتج غير آمن.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.