Qatar has planned to set up laboratories to instantly test quality of goods, in a bid to stop counterfeit and low quality products from entering the country.

Separate laboratories to test the quality of consumer goods including bottled water, edible oil, cosmetics, detergents, food items and toys will shortly be installed, the head of the Standards and Laboratory Department at the Ministry of Environment, Dr Mohamed Saif Al Kuwari, was quoted as saying in a report in The Peninsula.

Qatar is also putting together new standards and specifications for 1,400 products of various kinds, including foodstuff, toys and building materials, in line with international standards. All these products will be issued quality certificates after tests are conducted at the labs and no product will be imported without a certificate, he added.

It is planned to implement the new standards within three months.