Opinion poll reveals, Yemenis prefer national products [Archives:2003/676/Business & Economy]

Yemen Times Establishment for Press and Publication and Consumer Protection Society in the governorate of Tail, have lately co-sponsored a questionnaire, sounding out the public opinion on domestic and imported consumer goods. The goal is to use obtained information in the Quality Guide, the Yemen Times and the State Authority for Standardizations and Specifications intend to publish soon.
The questionnaire targeted 12813 citizens from both sexes in the republic of Yemen selected from four major regions, namely, Sana'a, Aden, Taiz, and Hodeidah. 68% of the included people in the questionnaire have preferred the national product, 32% said they preferred imported goods. 59% said they trusted national goods that obtained the quality certificate (ISO) but 24% showed non-confidence in that and 17% of consumers said they have no idea.
As for the reason why some consumers buy locally produced goods, 35% attributed that to their being national industry that must be supported, 25% said they did that for the local goods suitable prices and 40% of consumers said they buy national goods out of their trust in their quality.
In response to a question on whether the consumer places trust on all imported products, 27% thought they were good, 52% gave opposite opinion and 21% answered in having no idea.
49% of targeted consumers expressed the opinion that getting the ISO certificate something necessary, 25% said it was not necessary and 26% of them did not give an opinion. 31% of the Yemenis think local companies offer social services, 23% opinion is that they do not do that, 46% said some of the local companies offer social services.
Yemen Times Taiz bureau chief, the supervisor of the study Imad al-Saqqaf says it comes at a time when there is a wide-spread of external smuggled goods flooding the Yemeni markets to an extent the citizen is no longer officially able to tell which of them are national and which are imported, most of which the country of origin is not known. Mr Al-Saqqaf has also said the national industry is experiencing a critical and dangerous time and mass media have to have a role in the process of economic development in the country and in support for national industry that contributes greatly to flourish the national economy and employment of as many as possible number of unemployed workforce. Mr al-Saqqaf concluded that Yemen Times has sensed this situation and thus took the initiative to work out a study and issue a quality guide to be available for the Yemeni reader and consumer due to the highly importance of this matter.
The Consumer Protection Society in Taiz that supervised the questionnaire considered the effort as complementary of the society's awareness activities and monitoring it is carrying out in order to learn about the extent of the Yemeni consumer demand for the local product and the imported one.
The deputy chairman of the society, Mr. Bastan Ashaibani also deemed all that effort as stemming from the belief in the national role it adopts as a non-governmental and independent civil organisation.
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