“Our aim is to ensure that there are quality appliances on the market. We are working on tougher standards of quality as we have observed that most of the time, the appliances that are imported are of poor quality,” said Jain Seegoolam, officer in charge of the CPU to The Independent.
Importers and resellers of low-cost appliances will be required to have their quality standards certified by the MSB similar to the practise currently carried out with toys. MSB will grant licences to companies for the products which meet all the required standards by letting them use the MSB Certification Mark.
The Certification Mark will be displayed on the product, signifying it has met all the requirements of the relevant Mauritian Standard Bureau and was manufactured under an approved quality plan.
“With the economic crisis, more consumers opt for low-cost products and the manufacturers are responding to this demand. However, these products are not always good quality,” he added.
Most household appliances and electrical accessories are imported from China. However, Seegoolam stated that China is not only responsible for the manufacture of poor quality products.