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GNBS PRODUCT MONITORING EFFORTS REMAIN FOCUSED ON PROTECTING CONSUMERS
(Kaieteur News) – The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) continues to prioritise consumer protection, ensuring that several products available on the local market are safe, reliable and compliant with established standards. As the world prepares to observe World Consumer Rights Day on March 15 under the theme ‘Safe Products, Confident Consumers,’ the Bureau’s role remains closely aligned with the global call for stronger safeguards and greater accountability in the marketplace, ensuring consumer protection.
Consumer protection is not only a regulatory responsibility for the GNBS, but a vital public service that promotes safety, fairness and confidence in everyday transactions. The GNBS Act of 1984 and its 1997 amendment ensure that products offered for sale conform to the requirements of Compulsory National Standards. Through its Product Compliance Programme, the GNBS plays a vital role in monitoring imported and locally produced products at warehouses, ports of entry and sale outlets to ensure they meet national standards for safety, quality and proper labelling.
Currently, the GNBS monitors 17 categories of products that directly impact consumers’ daily lives. These include electrical and electronic appliances, electrical fittings and equipment, tyres, textiles and garments, footwear, PVC pipes, furniture, weighing and measuring devices, gas stoves, cigarettes, safety matches, gold articles, cellular phones, toys and playthings, among others. Notably, the Bureau enforces several mandatory national standards for electrical fittings and equipment, covering items such as plugs, switches, sockets, circuit breakers, wires and cables, ultimately supporting consumer safety and fair trade practices for compliant businesses.
For instance, the National Standard Specification for the Labelling of Commodities, Part 7, which addresses the Labelling of Electrical Equipment, Fittings and Household Electrical Appliances, is a crucial consumer protection standard. It specifies labelling requirements for these electrical items along with their detachable parts. It states that every product must clearly display the Certification Mark, the voltage, model and serial numbers, rated power/current, country of origin, trademark or identification number, manufacturer’s name, and other information to ensure safe installation, usage and care.
Appliances should also carry a Certification Mark, such as UL, CE, CSA or NOM, which indicates that they have been tested and are of acceptable quality. Where such marks are absent, GNBS requires importers and dealers to submit valid test certificates from independent third-party laboratories as proof of compliance.
When non-compliant products are identified, GNBS takes appropriate enforcement action, including seizure, re-labelling and submission of the necessary Test Certificates. These undertakings demonstrate the Bureau’s ongoing commitment to eliminating unsafe products and holding suppliers accountable.
In 2025, the Product Compliance Department conducted 10,511 inspections and monitored more than 24,936,460 products, strengthening oversight of goods entering and circulating in the local market. This level of monitoring helped to ensure that various categories of products within the local markets met the required standards, eliminating unnecessary risks to consumers.
This year, the GNBS is advancing several strategic initiatives to enhance its consumer protection framework. These include pursuing ISO/IEC 17020 accreditation to align inspection systems with international best practices, commencing inspections of gold jewellery to verify authenticity and quality, and expanding product monitoring to additional categories. Dealers and importers are required to register annually with the GNBS to support effective monitoring of products available to consumers.
For more information, contact the GNBS at 219-0064-66, email info@gnbsgy.org, WhatsApp 692-GNBS (4627), or visit www.gnbsgy.org.
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