KEBS Statement on Fake Products in Supermarkets

In light of today’s Daily Nation headline “Beware What you Consume, KEBS Mark of Quality Not Guaranteed, “demonstrates a clear misunderstanding of the comprehensive roles and responsibilities of the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS).

The narrative in the article written by Mr. David Mwere casts unwarranted doubts on KEBS’ Quality Assurance Procedures and Products. A deeper examination and understanding of KEBS’ mandate is essential to rectify this misrepresentation and shed light on its steadfast commitment to ensuring product quality.

First and foremost, the mission of KEBS, as defined by its clear mandate, is to provide standardization, metrology, and conformity assessment solutions for sustainable development.

The role of KEBS in ensuring that goods and services conform to standards is pivotal in enhancing the quality of life, and consumer protection, and in fostering trade, industry, and innovation.

Setting the Record Straight
Kenya Bureau of Standards issues Product certification to manufacturers who meet the criteria provided for under the Standards Act and, International Standard ISO/IEC 17065:2012, which outlines the intemationally recognized best practices in product certification.

In summary, the process involves rigorous inspection and evaluation of the manufacturer’s premises, sampling and testing of the products, and signing of a Scheme of Supervision and Control or Product certification contract with KEBS as a commitment to continuous compliance with the relevant standards and regulations governing the product.

Contrary to the insinuations in the article, KEBS is relentlessly active in ensuring product quality. The Diamond Mark of Quality is not a token emblem – it signifies a manufacturer’s capability to consistently produce compliant products, over and above the minimum requirements set in the product standards.

The Diamond Mark of Quality is a voluntary mark, superior to the mandatory Standardization Mark of Quality (SMark).

The article speculates and advances a misleading notion that KEBS does not carry out testing in its quality assurance processes. Contrary to this, in the financial year 2022/2023 KEBS tested over 60,000 consumer products.

For the avoidance of doubt, product certification is carried out after due diligence on the manufacturer as follows:

1. The manufacturer must be a registered legal entity.
2. KEBS inspects the manufacturing premises to assess the capability of the manufacturing process to meet the requirements of the Standard in line with Section 10(3). This entails controls to ensure that the raw materials used are of the right quality, production is managed within specified conditions, and final products are properly packaged and labeled as per the required standards. Further, the manufacturer is required to test or make arrangements for testing their products on a regular basis. Records of these quality measures must be maintained and produced to KEBS for verification during surveillance inspections.
3. KEBS samples and tests the product and only issues that certification mark if the product meets the requirements of the relevant Kenya Standard for the product.
4. The manufacturer must sign a certification contract with KEBS which is a systematic guide to quality management activities that the manufacturer shall implement the quality assurance activities as agreed throughout the validity period.
5. KEBS continuously monitors in a scheduled manner the implementation of the Scheme of Supervision and Control or Product Certification contract, during the validity period of the Certification.
   Further, KEBS undertakes surveillance inspections, with sampling done either at the factory or market during the validity period.
   Manufacturing and monitoring are two distinct realms. While KEBS defines and oversees adherence to standards, manufacturers are responsible for producing goods that meet these benchmarks. This dynamic creates a system anchored in trust – a trust fortified by stringent protocols and consequential penalties for deviations.
   The LPG Cylinder Case in Point
   For the avoidance of doubt, KEBS was not involved in the tendering process that led to the procurement of substandard products. Moreover, the statement that products with Diamond Mark of Quality are not subjected to inspection and not tested upon arrival at the port of entry was taken out of context because it was clearly explained, that a Diamond Mark is a superior mark issued only after compliance to a rigorous process.